Over the Great Wall
by Canadarulz
Summary: Mulan, Shang and the gang go off to fight the Mongolians. Mystery, romance, intrigue, and a bit of humour ensue. What I would have liked the movie sequel to have been. Final chapter posted in Themes!
1. Chapter 1

**Hello! I finally registered and am now going to attempt writing. My story is going to go off the end of the first movie as if the second one did not exist. I might use one of the princesses or maybe one of the ideas but only because it might work well with my story, not to copy. If I do accidentally copy someone's story idea etc please just leave a review and I will give you credit or delete it. If I _italicize_ it is because someone is thinking something. Alrighty on with the show. Also this story is like 4 or 5 months after the end of the first movie and Mulan and Shangare getting along well and in love. **

**Disclaimer (wow my first disclaimer) I do not own Disney characters, not making profit (although it would be nice) and yah you get the picture. **

The night was dark, there were stars shining down into a dense forest, but the inhabitants did not see their beauty. They were single-mindedly following their leader on shaggy brown ponies. The ponies were trotting in unison along the path, knowing very well the hard kicks they would receive for falling behind. Their leader, a large man, tall and muscular yet overweight was massive and powerful, He had a broad face with a beard that came down from behind his ears and met at his chin. His features were large yet not unhandsome and he had a mustache that was clean cut like his beard. A scar ran from the middle of his forehead down over his eye and on to his cheek. His name was Bao Gantolm, he was the king of Mongolia and was looking to expand his country. He raised a gauntleted hand to signal a halt. His second in command rode up beside him ready for orders.

"We will stop here, in sight of the Great Wall. If we are lucky they will come out on their own…."

* * *

"Mama I am not going!"

"Oh yes you are."

"Shang will be back today."

"That is what you said yesterday and a month before."

"I'm not going back Mama, last time I was there I managed to set her on fire. Do you go back to people you set on fire?"

"Luckily Mulan I have never managed to do that." Fa Lee brought a comb down through her daughter's hair. It had been a year since the day Mulan first visited the matchmaker and now she was due to go back. (**not an expert in Chinese culture or anything so just work with me) **Fa Lee knew that Mulan was in love with Shang and he seemed to return the affection, but he had not returned from duty at the Great Wall. He had said he would be there for a month but it had now been two.

"Bet you the matchmaker will pair me with some old fat guy who beats his many wives."

"Mulan will you stop fretting? I am sure she will pair you with a perfectly fine young man." replied Fa Lee. Just then Granny Fa walked in with a bunch of baubles and good luck items, thankfully she hadn't managed to catch Cri-kee. As she arranged the many items on a table she muttered,

"That woman has a cow shoved up her butt." This comment was met with a gasp from Fa Lee and a snicker from Mulan.

* * *

A hassled messenger on a frenzied stallion pulled up at the gates of the palace. After a small hassle at the gates he was let through where he galloped up the large staircase and hopped off at the large doors.

"It is urgent I see the emperor."

"Why?"

"The king of Mongolia has an army larger than Shan-Yu camped outside the Great Wall!" The guard questioning the messenger paled as he quickly started to escort him to the emperor's chamber.

The emperor looked up in surprise, his eyebrows raising and quickly lowering. Being the emperor, he had been ruthlessly taught by tutors and mentors that emotions were weakness. It did not stop him from wondering why a guard and a messenger stormed in, he did not want to believe his suspicions.

"Your Majesty, Mongolia's King Bao is outside the Great Wall with a massive army." Panted the messenger. Sure enough, thought the emperor, he remembered Bao from meeting him when he was a child. He could be an amazing and powerfulruler, but he had dangerous mood swings that often had brought much violence. The thought of this man ruling an army chilled the aged emperor's blood.

"Find Captain Li Shang and Fa Mulan. Promote Shang to general and Mulan to captain. I also give Shang the authority to promote five men to officers." The messenger and the guard left. The emperor rubbed his temples. Why would there always be men that would sooner pick up a sword that lower one?

* * *

Shang was kicking his imperial stallion to an all out gallop. He knew he was terribly late in returning to Mulan and the two months away from her had been hard to bear. He had had to stay and help train new officers, an unexpected job, but was finally going back.

He reached Mulan's village and slowed to a canter. There was quite the crowd around the middle of the village where he saw some girls dressed as brides. He saw one girl being dragged by her mother before a horrid fat woman came out the doors and ordered her inside. His heart went out to the poor girl. He had managed to miss going to the matchmaker's and now didn't need to since he hoped to propose toMulan. He hurried on towards the Fa residence.

When he got there he knocked on the gate. Much to his dissapointment it was opened by the honourable Fa Zhou.

"Ah Captain Shang, it is wonderful to see you! Unless you hurry though, Mulan will become engaged to someone else."

"You mean she was one of the girls going to the matchmaker!"

"Yes, she didn't want to though in hopes you would return. Just so you know, you have my blessing." Said Fa Zhou winking. "Now hurry!" Shang mounted his horse before whirling him into a fast gallop towards the square where the girls were going into the matchmaker. He knew now that the girl fighting her mother must have been Mulan. When he got there, scattering the crowd with his stallion, he quickly ran towards the matchmaker. Behind him he heard Granny Fa yelling,

"Whoo Hoo! Go get her Shang! You guys all getting a good luck at my future grandson in law!" He couldn't help but grin. He was looking forward to getting her as an in-law.

* * *

Mulan felt nauseous looking at the hideous woman who was to decide her future. More then anything though she wanted to scream for Shang. All she wanted was to be in his warm embrace while looking into his dark eyes.

"So who is it going to be Mulan? I'll give you a choice. You can have the son of the village's fertilizer man or the old bachelor who is allergic to all but bland rice."

_Mmmm…tempting _thought Mulan with sarcasm. If onlythe matchmakerwould trip, fall in a hole and die.

Suddenly the doors burst open and there was Shang! She couldn't help but give him the biggest grin. He came in and sat down beside her. The matchmaker stuttered,

"Captain Li? I will be right back with an extra cup sir." The matchmaker scuttled off to the back room. Shang leaned over and kissed Mulan.

"Do you want to get out of here?"

"Yes!"

"Good I know a quick way out."

"What do you mean?"

"O.K. it's simple, just get up and follow me." Shang suddenly darted up, helping Mulan up in her long dress and then quickly lead her out the door. Once out he picked her up and put her sidesaddle before lifting himself on in front of her. He spun his stallion and galloped away from the gasps of the crowd with Mulan holding his waist and laughing.

**Again any questions, comments, constructive critiscms are welcome. **


	2. Chapter 2 A likely couple

Hi, nice to know that people are enjoying the story and thanks for the reviews!

Mulan held Shang's shoulders as they cantered down the road leading away from the village. Before long, he stopped along what looked like a solid line of dense forest and undergrowth. Looking to make sure there was no one in sight, he pushed aside the branches of a leafy shrub revealing a small dirt path. Mulan and him had been down this path many times before, but not many other people had. It lead to a grassy glade with a pond and many flowers, and was surrounded on all sides by the dense forest. They traveled down the path and once in the glade Shang slowed his horse to a walk and stopped under a blooming magnolia tree. There he dismounted and lifted her off.

"I'm sorry I was late." He told her,

"I must admit you had me more then worried" she replied. She didn't care though; all that mattered was that he was back. Sure the matchmaker would be mad but it was not like Mulan wanted to do the woman any favors. Suddenly Shang reached up and wiped the make up off of her face and undid her hair. It caught her by surprise but she was glad that he did it.

"Somehow all of that just isn't you. Sure you are beautiful, an angel in fact, but it isn't the Mulan that I have fallen in love with." Could it be true? He was confessing his love for her? She gave him a slightly incredulous look but he just kissed her forehead and repeated himself.

"I love you Mulan."

"I love you too." Shang knelt before her and all she could do was pray that he would ask what she hoped he would ask.

"Will you marry me?"

"Yes!" she screamed as she jumped on him. It sent them both rolling down the hill they had been upon. When they stopped at the bottom she was lying on top of him. She bent down and they shared the most passionate kiss they had ever had.

Chi Fu galloped down the trail towards Mulan's village. Little did anyone know that he and the Mulan's matchmaker, Tai Jin, had been seen each other for quite some time now. They had met at one of the emperor's celebrations and their picky pessimist attitudes had drawn the two of them together. They had spent the whole evening laughing at other people's looks.

He reached the village where he saw a crowd dispersing from in front of Tai Jin's house. He heard a lot of whispers and gossiping as he pushed his horse through the crowd.

"Just galloped up, went in and came out with a bride!"

"She really got swept of her feet!"

"I wish that could happen to me!" Chi Fu sniffed at the milling peasants. He had no clue what they were going on about but he quickly forgot as he dismounted and climbed the steps into Tai Jin's house. As he entered a teapot was hurled at his head and he ducked just in time.

"Who is here! Get out! The matchmaking is finished for today!" Tie Jin roared as she came storming around the corner noticing him, she softened for a moment and then became angry again.

"Do you know how ridiculed I was today!"

"Um…No?" replied Chi Fu, now quite curious about what was going on.

"That little hero wench was taken from here by Captain Li! He came in and I went to get a cup for him. I come back and they weren't there and then I see through the open doorway them galloping away! How did she ever ensnarl a captain! I was going to make her the wife of one of the worst and most dishonorable men in the village!" Tai Jin screamed overturning a platter with tea cups.

"There may be something I can do."

"Tell me! They must not marry!"

"They have both been enlisted to fight the Mongolian army outside the Great Wall. I will as usual be going and Captain Li can't exactly marry a ghost…"

"You mean….have her disposed of?"

"It can't be that hard with several thousand Huns hanging around. There are always 'accidents' as well." Chi Fu cackled. "I think that now is the time for revenge. No one will humiliate us and get away with it…."

There was much celebration at the Fa household. Granny Fa kept hugging Shang and offering him food all the while singing giddily, "For he is a handsome fellow, for he is a handsome fellow, for he is a handsome fellow! Soon to be in this family of mine!" Shang didn't mind. He and Mulan had been inseparable all evening and her parents kept giving them smiles. Hopefully he would be able to take her to meet his mother soon.

Fa Zhou and Fa Li made a quick exit for the kitchen while Granny Fa started showing Shang her favourite gambling game and started explaining some of the finer points of gambling in general.

"I'm so happy for Mulan!" Fa Li excitedly whispered to her husband.

"Yes, the two will be very happy together, just like us." He said taking Fa Li's hand and kissing it. Their marriage had been arranged, but they had still fallen deeply in love.

Shattering their peace was the sudden pounding of the village gong. Fa Li looked at Fa Zhou worriedly while Mulan, Shang, and Granny Fa appeared in the hallway having heard the gong. They all started walking for the gates of the Fa residence.

They got outside and Mulan and Shang opened the large wooden gates. Chi Fu stood there flanked with two imperial officers like so many months before. In his high nasal voice he started yelling for each family to send a man forward for his conscription notice. When he saw Mulan and Shang he sneered before giving them there specially written notices from the emperor. After handing them the notes he ordered the men to move on for the next village and they left.

"There is another war isn't there." Fa Li said quietly. Shang and Mulan just nodded.


	3. Chapter 3 On Her Way

**Hi thanks for the reviews (I really liked yours Lady-of-Emerald-Flames). **

On with the story! 

Mulan started packing her things. Shang had to go back to his home to get everything he would need. They had agreed to meet in a village before the Imperial City that would save them time instead of Shang having to ride all the way back to her place. The lucky thing was that was the village where her three friends lived and she would be able to spend some time with them before Shang came. The letter had stated that she and Shang visit the emperor before setting off for the northern section of the Great Wall and receive his blessing and his guidance.

Fa Zhou watched his daughter from around the corner of the doorway just as she had months ago watched him, although he was unaware she had. He knew that it was a great honor for Mulan to ride at the head of the army and that he should be proud but it also broke his heart. His only child would always be at the risk of death in the army, he was not sure how he had bared it the first time but he was wondering how he was going to a second time.

Granny Fa and Fa Li were out in the stable, brushing Khan until his coat shone glossy. They needed anything to take their minds off the fact Mulan might ride away and they might never see her again. Fa Li paused and sighed. Granny Fa stopped and came over to her.

"Let's look at it this way daughter," she said placing her hands on her hips. "If they do live through the bombing and the arrows and the vicious assassination attempts, not to mention living through any torturous captures," Fa Li's eyes kept going wider and wider, "we will then have not have only one hero in the family, but after a wedding we will have two!" Unfortunately Fa Li was still looking faint from all the ifs.

Mulan made her way outside to the ancestor's temple. She needed to talk to a certain little dragon before she went anywhere. Once inside she lit the incense before calling,

"Mushu! Are you there? I have been called off to war again and I don't want to go alone."

"You think I would let you blow up huns without me girl! Man I gotta set you straight!" said Mushu appearing from behind the tomb stones. "What do you mean there's another war? Those huns have way too much time on their big ugly hands."

"I have no idea how they could regroup so fast unless this is a second army they kept secret before. Apparently the Mongolian king, some guy named Bao, is camped outside the Great Wall with a larger army than Shan-Yu." Mulan said dejectedly. I have no idea how we are going to defeat them.

"You know what I think?" Mulan shook her head no. "How close are these hun dudes, from the Great Wall? If they are really close then we may have a height advantage. We can get a better view of their greasy heads. When they are all half dead from having awful cricks in their necks from looking up at us, then we attack!" Mushu said with many arm flourishes.

"You think they will be half dead from having awful cricks in their neck? Mushu I think you had better rethink that one. " Mulan said. Fa Li called for Mulan telling her that Khan was saddled and ready to go. "Come on Mushu, let's go." She said picking him up and sliding him down the back of her shirt. Cri-kee came out drowsily from behind one of the tomb stones. When he saw Mushu and Mulan leaving he quickly hopped after them.

After a tearful goodbye, Mulan pushed open the gates of her home and rode through. She waved once more at her family and then pushed Khan into a canter. She did not know what this war would bring, but she knew that she would find out.

* * *

Chi-Fu rode stealthily along a small path in a forest. He knew that on the way to the Great Wall the imperial army would stop at a group of inns in a large village. The officers always stayed in the large inn in the center. Having often been forced to ride with the armies, he had learned many such facts.

After another hour he arrived at the village and made his way quickly to the large inn. He gave his horse to the stable hand and told him to leave the horse tacked. He pushed into the inn. It wasn't very busy as it was mid afternoon. A large overweight man wearing a waist apron was busy wiping the tables and shouting occasional orders to some young men rolling in barrels of wine and pulling in carts loaded with food. _No doubt for the army _though Chi-Fu. He made his way over to the inn keeper, the large man with the apron.

"Hello Tung!" he said with fake cheer.

"Chi-Fu! The army isn't here yet is it? I am not at all prepared!" Tung gasped throwing the table rag over his shoulder."

"No they are not here, don't worry Tung, they won't be here for a while yet. I came here to ask you a favor." Chi-Fu drew a bottle of rice wine from inside his robes. "Give this to Captain Fa when she comes, her fiancé General Li wants to surprise her."

"How kind of him! I will give this to her myself," said Tung grinning. "Have no fear this will arrive safely in her glass."

"That's good. That's very good." Chi-Fu sneered. "I'm sorry but I have to make my way back to the imperial city now."

"A good ride to you!" Tung called after him.

Chi-Fu yelled for the stable boy to get his horse. He threw a coin at the boy and mounted his stallion. He kicked his stallion into a gallop and threw his horse down the trail towards the imperial city laughing hysterically. Mulan would soon no longer be a concern.


	4. Ch 4:When Shang has heard enough

**Sorry for the long time with no update but I've been very busy. Could someone put in their review how to let anonymous reviewers review please? Also I'm gong to write on as if Mushu was never in the story as I don't have a place for him right now. Later I will edit him out of the earlier chapter. On with the story!**

Mulan reached the village of her friends in good time. Upon arriving she realized she didn't know where any of their houses were. She rode to the inn in the center of the quaint little village and decided to go in and ask the innkeeper. In her experience they had a vast knowledge of the different people in their villages from their inns also doubling as taverns.

She entered and saw a pretty girl serving tables happily. Mulan started to approach her to ask where the innkeeper was when she was grabbed from behind in an enormous bear hug and lifted off her feet.

"Mulan! How are you doing? I'm so glad you could come!" Mulan instantly recognized Chien-Po's friendly voice and turned around in his big hug and hugged him back.

"Great! All is well with you?"

"Yes, I got engaged!" Chien-Po set her down and called over the pretty girl serving the tables. "Mulan, this is Su-Lin, Su-Lin this is Mulan, the hero of China." Mulan and Su-Lin gave each other warm smiles and a small hug. "Su-Lin's father owns this inn so I have helped in the kitchens and with the serving. One day me and Su will run it." He said looking affectionately at his bride to be.

There was a sudden bang as the doors flew open and Yao and Ling stomped through yelling at each other.

"The girl was looking at me but you scared her off!" yelled Yao.

"I scared her off! Do you think I scared her when you look like a hunchbacked ape?"

"Well at least I don't take after bean stalks!" Yao growled back. He snarled and turned around then he spotted Mulan. "Mulan! You didn't tell us you were in town!" he and Ling came running over both giving her a hug.

Su-Lin smiled, "I take it you are all pretty good friends?"

"You bet" they all chimed. "Mulan served with us in the army before." Chien-Po told her.

"How are things going with you and pretty boy?" Yao asked winking and giving her a nudge. Mulan normally would have blushed but instead she just gave a big grin and replied, "We're engaged!" This brought on much jubilation and more hugs.

A messenger came in at that point. He passed around conscription notices. "I thought we had already been drafted," Chien-Po said as he unrolled his. "But not as captains!" exclaimed Ling who had already read his. The messenger turned to Mulan, "You are Fa Mulan?" he asked. "Yes, I am" she answered. "This is from General Li," he said passing her a sealed note along with a conscription note identical to the gang of three's. She quickly flipped down the conscription notice and read of her being promoted to a captain as well. The sealed note read,

_Dear Mulan, _

_I received notice that I have become general and that you are to be a captain, my congratulations. I was hoping that you would be able to meet me in the imperial city as time has become of the essence. There we will meet at the imperial palace. The emperor would like to talk to us there. _

_I look forward to seeing you, _

_all my love, _

_Shang_

The gang of three was looking at her waiting for a response. "Shang has been promoted to general and I to captain. We are to meet him at the imperial city, Time has become important so we must hurry."

Chien-Po turned to Su-Lin taking her hands in his, "I must leave today Su-Lin." He gave her a hug and a kiss then he turned to Mulan. "You sit here and rest, Yao, Ling and I will get ready and meet back here,"

Within an hour they came back each with a horse, Chien-Po on his big dun draft cross Drub, Yao on a fierce, little black mount named Farin, and Ling on a lean grey horse named Galon. "We used some of our monetary benefits from the last war to buy horses so we wouldn't have to be foot soldiers anymore." Ling told Mulan as they rode up. They set off at a steady trot, they would probably reach the palace by sundown.

* * *

Shang cantered up to the gates of the imperial palace. The guards waved him through, he had been in and out of the palace since he was a little boy. His father would bring him and his mother for the large banquets. Thinking of his father always made his chest heavy. Seeing his grieving mother had been hard as well. She had gotten the news before he had arrived but he knew it would take her time. His father and mother had been betrothed since they were born, but they had met before they were supposed to so it almost was like they had married for love. It had been one of those love at first site things between them and even when the romance had died down a bit they were very good friends. He hoped with all his heart that him and Mulan would always be happy together just like his parents had been and like her parents seemed to be.

He was snapped from his thoughts by the stable boy waving for his horse. He left his stallion with the boy and then proceeded on into the palace. He was not to see the emperor until Mulan arrived so he would take in some of the gardens while he waited.

As he entered the palace a maid came and offered to escort him to his room. After finding it he changed into some slightly more formal clothes. It was highly inappropriate to see the emperor in riding clothes after all. He strolled down the highway to one of the garden doorways. Suddenly Chi-Fu, the sniveling little wimp showed up, Shang was waiting for the day when no one was around so he could dispose of the pompous worm. Chi-Fu strode up to him,

"Ahhh another General Li, luckily your father left you a title, however I think you are unfit for it…I hear you are to marry that dishonorable little wench Mulan, pity I thought you would at least be able to redeem yourself from that general thing." Shang had heard more then enough. He started to get an idea though. "Maybe we should take in the view from that balcony," he said subtly eyeing a balcony doorway. "Maybe we shall General, then I can tell you some other things you can do to improve yourself," Shang strode over to the edge of the balcony and looked down, a pond. He was hoping it would be a stone patio or better yet a thorn bush but a pond would work. "Chi Fu you really have to see this, The emperor has done wonders with this garden." Chi Fu strutted over to the railing beside him. "I really am not sure what you mean Shang, it the same as befooooooorrrrrrrrrre!" Shang picked up Chi Fu by the back of the shirt and chucked him over the railing listening with a grin of satisfaction to the squeal and the splash. He would have preferred it to be a splut but as he had thought before, a splash was fine too.

He quickly turned on his heel and started walking back into the hallway. He was stopped in his tracks by a firm elderly voice. "That was a pretty good chuck you know." He spun around and saw the emperor standing by the wall near the doorway!


	5. Chapter 5: The Other Side of the Army

**Glad people are liking the story. I got it so anonymous people could review, thanks to all the people who helped with that. **

The emperor walked up beside Shang, gave him a significant look and then glided over to the balcony. He gave a small smile and a small chuckle and then came back to Shang.

"You realize your fiancée is just about to die don't you," At the mention of Mulan and impending death Shang ran over to the edge of the balcony and looked down. He realized what the emperor meant when he saw Mulan leaning against Khan almost killing herself with laughter and on either side of her the gang of three doing the same thing. Chi-Fu was squealing like a stuck pig about something regarding not being able to swim. Shang had tossed him in the pond that was in the garden close to the stables and now some of the stable boys were trying to help him though Shang saw one deliberately hold a pole out to him and then dunk the pole once he had a hold on it. Chi-Fu's incessant caterwauling stopped for a second as he went under and then with a little gargling started anew.

Mulan looked up at that moment and saw him on the balcony. She put on an incredulous expression looking at him and then at Chi-Fu and back again. He gave a slight nod and a small wink and she gave him a huge grin. He knew she would approve. The emperor at that moment seemed undecided. He stroked his beard, looking at Shang and then looking in the direction of the balcony. Finally he sighed and asked Shang, "What did he say to you?" Shang would gladly would have replied that just the sight of Chi-Fu would make anyone want to chuck him off the balcony, but thought better of it and decided just to tell the emperor the truth. "He insulted me on many levels as well as Mulan."

"I was expecting that, he seems to have something against you and Mulan…Oh well, the pond will probably do him good, he was starting to smell anyway. I just wouldn't recommend trying that again." The emperor gave him a look that told him he was dismissed and then went towards the hallway, "As soon as Mulan is ready you can make your way to the throne room, I will be waiting there."

Shang heaved a sigh of relief. He looked over the balcony and saw Mulan and her friends walking their horses into the stables. He would meet her there.

Mulan and her friends were making sure the stable boys put their horses away comfortably.

"Who knew Pretty Boy had it in him," Yao growled with a chuckle. "I didn't think Captain Li would ever do such a thing" Chien Po sighed. He looked a little worried. "Well I am glad that he did," exclaimed Ling. "That worm was giving everyone too much grief." "I'm pretty sure that Chi-Fu insulted him." Added Mulan.

"Your right he did." Mulan spun around and saw Shang standing right behind her. They hugged and he quickly kissed her forehead as they had an audience. Chien-Po was smiling serenely while Yao and Ling were dramatically feigning disgust. Shang gave her a quick smile, "The emperor would like to see us as soon as we are ready, in any case it would not be good to keep him waiting." With that the five each headed to their rooms where an attendant was waiting to get them ready for an audience with the emperor.

* * *

When they reached the throne room a little later the emperor was waiting. "Ah Captain Fa, Captain Yao, Ling, Chien-Po. I know you all know each other very well from your past training experiences but I would like to introduce you to two other new captains. I think you have chosen wisely General Li."

A sliding screen off to the side of the throne room slid open and two men walked through, they both bowed to the emperor. "Luo Shan please come forward." The man to the right moved forward. Mulan watched him walk, there was something about the walk. He walked like a cat. He seemed to saunter, his feet came down in such a way that you couldn't here them and all this he seemed to do effortlessly. She looked up to his face and was completely disarmed. He was Persian!

Her father had told her of the Persian living across the desert. He had black hair and a small black mustache with a little bit of a beard starting. His eyes were dark pits, yet when he looked up they sort of glimmered when they caught the light. All this was complimented by a lean, lithe physique. He wasn't skinny like Ling, but he didn't broaden out as much as Shang. Luo Shan was pretty hot! Damn this being engaged Mulan thought.

"I would like to introduce Captian Luo. He was orphaned when he was five in Persia and a good friend of mine brought him back to China. Here he has been through the military academy and came out on top of his year's class. To top it all off he is one of the best spys and assassins we have." Luo Shan offered them all a small bow. "You may call me Shan." The rest of them introduced themselves and he then went and stood at the end of the line next to Yao.

"Next I would like to introduce Tsao Cail" The other man came out of his kneeling bow and stepped forward. Cail seemed to come from the same mold as Shang in terms of physique and even their faces weren't that different. His face looked chiseled with protruding cheek bones. He had some facial hair but it was all immaculately shaven and always would be Mulan would find later on. He held himself in such a way that you didn't want to challenge him. She would have to ask Shang how to do that because she had seen him do it too. When she looked up to his face again she noticed some slight graying at the temples. He was still in top shape but he was what looked considerably older then them. What she also noticed was that he had the gentlest eyes she had ever seen.

He was now looking at her before he turned to Shang. "She beautiful Shang, I really like her large dark eyes, There kinda like my Amma's. I can't believe she killed Shan-Yu though. The whole him weighing about 6 times more then she probably does is the hard part to get over." Shang gave a small chuckle, they obviously knew each other well. "Mulan has proven many times over that its brains before brawn. "

"Sorry to interrupt you but the rest have to know a little about Cail." The emperor interrupted." Both the men turned with a small bow. "Sorry your majesty." The emperor continued, "This everybody is one of the best teachers our academy has ever known but unfortunately he has decided to take arms. I have a feeling that in no time he will ascend the ranks. Don't be surprised if he floors you in every military discipline. Now it is time I tell you about the mission."

A couple of attendants came in carrying a large table with a map on it. Everyone stepped forward to see. The emperor came down from his pedestal and started to outline regions. "Here is the route you will take to the Great Wall, the villages along the way know of your coming and are all properly equipped to see you accommodated. You will be heading to the Northern part here. It is a couple of miles from where Bao has his armies camped. Hopefully that will prevent an ambush. You must all remember that Bao may be one of the most formidable enemies you ever encounter. He is very shrewd and has brute strength. He has also been known to accomplish impossible feats when he is angry. As well as that he has an extremely large army."

"Don't worry your majesty, our forces will triple with the addition of soldiers coming in from other regions." Shang assured the emperor. "I will see the soldiers here tonight and tomorrow we will depart. It will not take us long to reach the Great Wall."

"I hope so General, I hope so."

* * *

Mulan stared in wonder at the majesty of the palace. She was following Shang and the other captains through the palace to the stables. Their horses were being supplied with all the stuff they would need for their journey and they were to ride now for Chang'an's barracks where 5000 soldiers were waiting.

They reached the barracks in good time. She talked to Cail some on the way there and took an immediate liking to him. He was a friendly fatherly figure. It turned out he lived his wife on the estate next to Shang's. He and Shang knew each other very well and they had spent a lot of time together over the years.

It wasn't long before they reached the barracks, big stone buildings, well fortified and very simplistic. There were some younger recruits to put their horses away as they were now superiors. Shang and Cail led them down stone corriders. The farther they went the more Mulan could hear what sounded like raucious laughter and singing. She was starting to be able to make out some of the lyrics but immediately wished she hadn't. Her cheeks went crimson and she tried to ignore it. Yao noticed this and started to snicker. Shang turned and mouthed what looked like 'I wouldn't listen if I were you.' to her. Good advice.

Finally Shang reached large wooden doors and swung them open. The room fell silent. Shang gestured for them to stay there while he strode forward. She always did had to swoon when he strode like that. Yao now looked like he was going to explode he was silently laughing so hard. She would have to get him later. At that moment Shang started to speak.

"We are moving out at dawn tomorrow to travel to the Great Wall. We will bring victory to China!" This brought a roar of approval. "We will crush the Mongols. Only with my dying breath will I let them have this land." She was now wondering. Shang didn't usually talk like this. Cail whispered to her, "He is rousing their fighting blood. Makes for better marching. Your going to have to learn to not show your emotions so easily. Shang and I will teach you." Mulan almost snorted. She would have the best teacher in China if Shang taught her that.

He was coming back now. He gave her a smile. "You are all dismissed. I want you all to report before dawn tomorrow to help me get this lot on the move." The rest disperssed but Mulan waited. Shang glanced briefly in both directions before leaning in towards her and giving her a tender kiss. "Are you holding up all right?". "Mmmhmm, I think there is a side to army life I didn't know about though." "The whole drinking and caterwauling side I was hoping you would know about but that was only wishful thinking. Come on I want to spend sometime with you." Those were the best words she had heard all day.


	6. Chapter 6: Leaving Chang'an

Thanks for the reviews! Always appreciated.

Mulan slept deeply. She would have been mad about waking up except she woke up to Shang planting kisses from her cheek to her collarbone. She looked up at him and smiled.

"We have to start waking up the soldiers, we're marching in half an hour. I want you to quickly get dressed and work down the north wing with Cail. He'll show you how to do it." Once Shang had left Mulan got up and quickly got on her riding clothes. Today it was pants with a lighter shirt decorated with the marks of an Imperial Captain. They were lucky that it was summer in the Imperial City; it made all the riding much easier. She finished packing her saddlebags and left the small room.

She walked down the dark hallways of the garrison. There was the occasional torch but a lot of it was in gloom. Captain Luo came from his room with his bags all packed. A recruit was passing them but Captain Luo quickly called him over.

"Take these bags down to the stables and put them on the stallion Rohn," he turned to Mulan, "and put these on Khan, right?" Mulan just nodded. The recruit now weighed down significantly, gave a quick head bob and went scurrying in the direction of the stables. "No reason a pretty officer like you should have to carry all those bags," he said winking at her. _Was he flirting with her? Didn't he know that Shang would pulverize him? Shang had told her that all the men were to act professional around her…or else. _"Thanks for your help…" She quickly spun on her heel and headed towards Cail's room.

When she got there she was just about to knock when Cail opened the door. "Hey Captain Fa, ready to wake up about 500 tired men?" _Probably not, _she thought. "You okay Mulan? You don't mind if I call you that?" She didn't mind, Cail was a close friend of Shang's and that made him a close friend of hers, plus she liked his happy disposition.

"So how are we going to wake up 500 tired and possibly hung over men." She asked. Cail went back into his rooms for a second and came back. "With this!" He said, proudly displaying a gong, one that looked like it had been used for quite some time. "Even Shang knows this bad boy. It's how I used to have to wake him and his class in the military academy. He learned to wake up a whole lot faster after I banged this above his head. Just took once for him to learn to be up in time for roll call." Mulan got a funny mental picture of Shang being woken up by Cail banging a gong above his head.

They went out and to the north wing. "Here put this around your ears." Mulan imitated Cail in wrapping the cloth around her ears. Then he tattooed a rhythm on the gong that sounded like a hundred shod horses running down a bronze ramp. Mulan clamped her ears and watched as the men ran from their rooms scurrying like ants. "Watch for any doors that don't open." Cail told her. "Those are the ones that get special treatment." In the last hallway she gestured towards one of the doors. Cail stopped the gong and then opened the door quietly. On one of the bunks lay a small man that looked more like a boy actually. He was sleeping with small snores completely curled up in his blanket.

"Would you like the honors?" Cail asked holding out the gong. She shook her head no. Cail looked like a cat who had just caught a mouse. He held the gong and then drew back his mallet and suddenly whipped it into the gong with enough force to launch a rocket. The noise sent the boy off his bed and onto the floor. He looked up in a frenzy saw the two officers and then smiled sheepishly. "Good morning Captains." "What's your name sprout?" asked Cail with false bravado. "Ti…..um Ti Rhen, Sir." The boy stuttered. "Well Ti…um Ti Rhen, you just earned yourself a week of sentry work because your so well rested, being the last up and all." Rhen looked scared for a moment and then looking at Mulan he turned back to look at Cail. "I guess I did get the most rest didn't I? I'll find you at the next camp for my shift." "Good lad," Cail said patting his shoulder.

They left Rhen to go get some breakfast and then to mount up for the journey.

* * *

Shang was standing by the gates. Watching as the new captains put the recruits into their ranks. All was going well. It just took time to sort so many men. As soon as they were organized, Shang whirled his horse around and signaled for the large wooden gates to open and the army set forward at a steady trot. As the sunset they reached a large village with many inns…

* * *

Shang signaled a halt. "We set out tomorrow as the sun rises. Those that will not fit at the inns will camp. There should be enough room to stable all the horses. You're dismissed!" The men broke apart with a hearty cheer. Mulan and the gang of three came riding up to him. All looked slightly bedraggled from their first day in charge. Mulan looked like she was going to fall flat off her horse. He rode his Imperial stallion up beside her and gave her hand a squeeze.

"I'm going to make sure they all settle down. All the officers stay at that inn there," he pointed. "Stick close to these guys until I come back." Mulan was grateful that now she could simply relax with her friends. She would be glad to when Shang was done with his duties.

They went to the inn where a large man came to greet them. "Ahhh, you must be the new officers! Come have a seat, your food and drink is on the house! My name is Tung! Welcome to my inn!" Chien-Po perked up considerably at the mention of free food as Yao and Ling perked up at the mention of free drink. Once they were sitting down, Tung came up beside their table.

"For the soon to be married! A gift from your fiancé!" grinned Tung as he presented her with a bottle of rice wine and enough glasses for her and her friends. Mulan was slightly taken a back. It was nice of Shang to get her a gift but he knew that she didn't drink and that she did not much like rice wine. "Wow, good going getting married Mulan!" Said Yao eyeing the bottle. He snatched it and read the label.

"Hey this is pretty good stuff! Mind sharing it with the pals?" Mulan nodded her head in ascent. Yao and Ling were pouring when Chien-Po chimed in, "It's her drink you guys, she should have the first glass." "All right, your right." Yao agreed and handed her a glass. She gave it a weary look and then quickly downed it. The taste was wrong…

"Don't drink it…"She tried to warn her friends, but at that moment her vision blacked and her last memory was the thought that it felt like she had fallen from her chair.


	7. Chapter 7: Antidote

**Hey**

**Decided to end the long stretch of few updates! Let us join together and end the dry stretch!**

Shang walked along the lines of tents, making sure the men settled for the night, he didn't want to lose speed by having hung over men. He swapped formal greetings with a few them and then decided to go to the inn himself.

"General! General!" Shang recognized the voice as Yao's and turned around to see the squat man running towards him. "What is it Yao?" Shang asked turning towards him. "It's Mulan…there was this wine, the innkeeper said it was from you, Mulan took a sip and past out, fell right off her chair…," Yao panted. Shang's body turned to ice. He yelled "She's still at the inn!" "Yes, Cail and Chien Po are with her!" Shang took off in a mad dash.

He arrived at the inn and Tung came running towards him, "I swear I didn't know Shang! I would never have done anything to harm her!" "Where is she!" "Upstairs in her room."

Shang tore up the stairs and saw Ling standing pale in the doorway of Mulan's room and he went running in. Cail was mashing up something in a bowl and Chien Po was chanting beside Mulan, who lay on the bed very pale.

He was beside her in an instant, taking her hand and wishing with all his might that she was okay. She had to be.

Chien Po put his hand on Shangs' for a moment with a look of compassion. "Cail is mixing an antidote Shang, my mother thought I would be a medic for a long time and let be apprentice with one for several years. He taught me about poison and the different antidotes. We are lucky that Cail had the supplies for this one." Cail stood up and added water to the powder in the bowl from a pitcher and then mixing it a little more brought it over.

"Hold her up Shang, this should bring her to in a little while," Cail instructed. Shang picked her up, she seemed so frail when she was sick. Cail tilted the bowl into her mouth and slowly poured the antidote in. Mulan unconsciously swallowed but other then that there was no change. You never realize how much you love something until it is gone Shang's mother had always said. How right she had been.

Chien Po and Cail got up and left leaving Shang to be with Mulan. He waited, praying for her to be alright.

As he sat beside her his thoughts wandered, back to his father, whose death he still mourned. His father had seemed undefeatable, yet as he was handed his helmet so many months ago, the truth had hit like the avalanche that enveloped the huns. Yet he still held the belief that some people were invincible. Mulan was one of those people. She had overcome so many things! Not many would have survived two encounters with a hun warlord like she had. Not many would have tried to face a hun warlord but she had, and for him. Grief and love washed over him as he looked upon her. Normally she looked peaceful when she was sleeping but now she just seemed…frail.

Shang waited beside her. Knowing he would not be at piece anywhere else.

"Shang?" The small voice woke him from his thoughts. She was awake. Everything was alright.

* * *

Mulan blinked, her vision going in and out of focus. The last thing she remembered was drinking the wine. I couldn't have been from Shang. She looked to her left and saw him sitting looking as somber as when his father had died. She softly said his name.

He looked up startled and then he smiled, suddenly illuminated from with in. She found herself in a tight hug and then being kissed so long she couldn't breathe. When they came up for air Shang smiled and pulled her onto his lap. The law dictated that a man and women should not touch before they were married, but that had never really stopped them. It was funny from such an honour bound man as Shang, but it really was something Mulan didn't mind.

She sat on his lap enjoying his presence as much as he enjoyed hers.

"Shang, you didn't give Tung the wine did you?" She asked shifting to look at him.

"I never could and never would. So as soon as you drank some you passed out?" Shang asked.

"A moment after swallowing everything blacked out. It was really eerie."

"Let's go talk to Tung. Someone has to have given it to him." They rose, left the room and started to head downstairs.

Chi Fu was in a panic! The poison was not supposed to have worked that quickly! Then again few people swallowed a glass of wine in one swig. He continued to stuff his possessions helter skelter in his saddle bags. He was not only furious that his plan had failed, but more so that it did not succeed. He was not stupid, he knew that to get revenge on Shang and Mulan he only had to kill one. The other would suffer without the other, it was the way love worked to the heinous old man. It would be stupid to kill Shang, destroy one of the most valuable men in the military and weaken China's defense. To get rid of Mulan though! Her skills were all flukes. No he would get her yet.

He grabbed his saddle bags and dashed to the stables. On the way he bumped into Cail,

"Excuse me I'm in a real hurry!" he huffed.

"Need to get to the market for another pair of slippers? I'm sure everyone will clear the way if you do you one of your famous girl screams." Cail sniggered and kept on going. Chi Fu seethed.

He squeaked at the stable boy to grab his horse. The boy led his bay forward and Chi Fu pushed him aside as he quickly tacked up. Not hesitating he mounted and galloped out of the stable and out of the town, towards the Great Wall.

* * *

Shang and Mulan went on to the main floor and spotted Tung about to get his eyes blacked by Yao.

"All right who was it fat boy." Yao growled dragging Tung down by the collar with one hand and balling the other into a fist.

"It was Chi Fu! He said it was a wedding gift from Shang to Mulan. I thought perhaps Shang and given it to Chi Fu to deliver because Chi Fu comes out before the armies to pass the word to stock up."

Mulan felt anger seep through her like the blood pulsing in her veins. She had never liked Chi Fu, the news made her think that she never would. Shang came up on her right and said in a voice that sounded like the metal of a sword being unsheathed, "I'm going to go kill him".

"Chi Fu?" Cail walked in at that moment. "I just bumped into him, he sure left town in a hurry, I thought he was delivering a message."

"His assassination attempt failed, that's why he beating it." Yao growled releasing Tung. Mulan looked to Shang, what was going to happen.

"We are going to continue on as planned. If he is found he will be executed, for attempting to kill a Captain, never mind the heroine of China and my fiancée." Shang looked suddenly on the verge of violence. "If anyone sees him they have permission to put an arrow through his chest. Or bring him to me. Maybe I should have a tied a rock to him before I tossed him in the pond…" The gang of three sniggered at his last comment, but sobered as they realized what it all meant.

Mulan knew what he meant as well. She had another enemy.

Shang lightly kissed her forehead. "Come on, let's eat, we have more ground to cover tomorrow.

**There's my update! Please Review!**


	8. Chapter 8: Encounter

**Hello Everybody! Thanks for all the kind reviews.**

Mulan rolled over and rolled right off the bed. Rubbing her head she looked around, and realized she was in a room in Tung's inn. It took awhile getting used to waking up in a strange place every morning.

She remembered last evening, after things had cooled down a little over the initial shock of the assassination attempt, her, Shang, Cail, the gang of three and even Luo Shan sat down to an enjoyable meal. Tung had made it on the house as an apology. She and her friends were laughing and reminiscing about some of the incidences at Wu Zhong. Yao had stood up and did an imitation of her first walk into camp while humming a tune she had never heard before, all the men started chuckling and Shang had whispered that the main words were along the lines of "I'm to sexy for my shirt".

She had enjoyed the evening except for one part. Shang had left the table for a moment and Luo Shan, or Shan as he told her to call him, had slid over into Shang's chair.

"I don't believe for a minute that these men could believe you were a boy" he said and winked at her. She didn't like his manner at all, flirting to an engaged woman in some circles could have nasty consequences. "I was younger then and looked different", she coolly replied. He looked like he was about to say something but then looking over her head he quickly scooted back to his seat. In the next moment Shang came and sat down again. She thought about telling him, but decided against it. She did not want him to have to worry about her as well as lead an army to battle.

Mulan came back to the present from her flashback and quickly changed and packed. She looked at the washbasin with a pang of sadness. Shang had told her that they would be staying in an inn again for another two weeks. Camping was not really a problem for her; it was more so, finding a place to bath while camping.

She picked up her pack and walked down to the main floor. There she received instructions to head 300 men in the day's march.

* * *

Chi Fu pulled his winded mount to a stop. He had ridden hard and fast to get back to the village Ren Cha. It was a perfect place to go into hiding for now. He was close to the Wall and armies but out of their way. They wouldn't come through here.

Chi Fu took a room at an inn off the main street. Once settled he pulled a blank scroll from his bag and started to write.

My Dearest Tai Jin,

The poisoned wine did not work, she drank it to quickly so they were easily able to pinpoint the source and one of the other captains was able to quickly concoct an antidote. Right now I'm think of hiring someone in our army to slip a knife between her ribs. She would not expect someone wearing the Imperial Crest to attack her.

Now I must speak of a more intimate matter. I've been thinking and my lovely Jin, when I return, will you marry me?

With the deepest wishes,

Chi Fu.

He read it over twice and then took it outside to find a messenger.

* * *

Bao picked up a cup from the table and threw it to the ground. He turned on his second in command Hein. "What is taking the Chinese so long? You would think after we spent a month getting to their wall they would take less coming!" He then grabbed the side of the table and toppled it. Wine and meat fell on the ground and Hein's stomach growled. No one over then Bao was eating so well, if fact the men were restless and were over scavenging the area, they would have to move somehow soon.

"My Lord, the Chinese did not hear of us until we were almost upon the wall and they have considerably more ground to cover." Hein replied.

"Are you defending them?!" Bao yelled and grabbed Hein by the collar. Bao actually dwarfed the man by almost a foot, but it was hard for any man to stand to Bao's broad chested 6'4". The man was a monster in size and temper.

"What are your plans for when they get here My Lord? Our spies say they have a larger army than ours because they only lost the Imperial Dragon regiment in the last war.

"Where as my stupid cousin Shan-Yu wiped out over a third of our army. If he were still alive I would kill him myself. He basically stole that army. Now some of my best warriors are dead! How did they die Hein? How did the Chinese only lose one regiment while we lost so many?" Bao yelled dropping Hein on the ground.

Hein was hoping Bao would never ask this. Rumours and stories had spread like wildfire that a small Chinese girl disguised as a soldier in the Chinese army had caused an avalanche. Basically a small girl had wiped out a third of Mongolia's army with a single canon and a mountain of snow. Then gone on to defeat Shan-Yu single handedly.

"You know," Bao growled under his breath. "You had better tell me Hein." Taking a deep breath, Hein explained what happened. Bao's eyes widened then narrowed.

"I'm going to take her captive. Obviously she is a brilliant strategist. Why waste such talent?"

* * *

Mulan thought she was going to fall of Khan. The long days of riding had taken their toll on her and a lot of the men. If she felt this way riding a horse then what would they feel walking. Blinking against the sun going down on the horizon she realized the army was stopping as Shang held up his hand in the front.

"We will stop early and rest here tonight men. However we are leaving at dawn." Mulan hurriedly got her men to set up their tents so she could dismiss them. As soon as she was finished she walked over to where Shang was standing. She took in his profile as she approached. He was undoubtedly handsome, with his muscular physique and his chiseled feature. His stance was that of a leader, he even led an extra 200 men over the captains. He rarely rested these days.

Mulan walked up beside him and he turned and smiled at her. They had decided that they would not show informality in front of the soldiers. Shang said it would help maintain the soldier's respect.

"I have good news for you," Shang said to her while keeping an eye on his soldiers. "There is a lake half a league from here, there will be baths tonight." Mulan smiled and he turned and smiled at her. "I thought that would make you happy, just make sure that you go at an hour there is unlikely to be others bathing at, and go to the other side of the water."

* * *

After midnight, Mulan got off Khan and walked over to the water's edge. She had watched for the men coming back, and even though she had had to wait a long time she was glad to come for a bath.

She had come to the other side of the lake and she couldn't hear or see anyone. She undressed and slipped into the water, enjoying the feeling of the water on her aching muscles. She washed and then just rested in the water enjoying the peace. She heard a splash and all her muscles tensed. She spun around and saw Shan.

He was only wearing a robe that reached down midway past his thigh, and he was standing up to his knees in water. "I don't usually make a sound, I wonder what happened there?" he smiled coyly. Mulan felt her whole body turn to ice. She was alone, naked in the water and there was Shan blocking her way to shore. He took a step forward and she started to think, what did she have? Nothing, then she spotted a black shape on the land, Khan.

He was about to say something when she cut him off with a whistle. He looked confused for a moment and then heard Khan's angry whinny. He barely turned around before Khan was upon him, rearing with his hooves flashing in the moonlight. Mulan turned and started to swim for the other shore. She knew Khan would render Shan, or Captain Luo unconscious and then come for her.

She reached the other shore and turned back. She saw the limp body of Captian Luo lying on the shore. She heard a rustle in the undergrowth and Khan came through. She thanked the ancestors that she tied her clothes to him and started to put them on.

It was not until Khan put his head up against her that enormity of what had or had almost happened sank in. She climbed on Khan and tried to hold back her tears as Khan carried her to camp.

Once the tents were insight she saw Shang walking amongst them. He heard Khan and turned and headed towards him. Shang saw Mulan sitting on the large horse and then saw her shoulders shaking. He reached up and pulled her off her horse and into his arms. He held her as she quietly sobbed against his chest.

**Sorry I went so long without an update. Please Review!**


	9. Chapter 9: Secrets Revealed

**Sorry for the wait. The next chapter should come sooner. **

Shang was seething. He had comforted Mulan and then taken her to her tent. He had taken her to her tent and when she still seemed unsure, he had kissed her passionately, as best as he knew how and told her she would be safe. She had stopped shaking and smiling thanked him before drifting off to sleep.

Shang was thankful Mulan had ridden Khan, he appreciated that her horse was so faithful and protective of her, but now he was only consumed with rage. He was going to kill Luo Shan.

Shang picked up a quiver and bow and then strapping on his sword he took up a post by a tree and began to wait. It was two hours and almost dawn when he saw the figure staggering out of the trees. He picked out an arrow and sent it whistling through the air to land in a tree a foot from Luo's head. Shan stopped for a moment and eyed him warily. Things had not gone as planned for Luo Shan, he had hoped to seduce Mulan and convince her to keep things a secret, he had not foreseen her running terrified to her powerful and lethal fiancé.

Luo Shan had left his clothes and sword on the shore and had donned them before returning. He now unsheathed his sword.

"Fight me Shang! Don't just cut me down."

"I think that's General Li to you Luo!" Shang spat. Still he unsheathed his sword, tossed the quiver and came forward.

The two men approached and circled each other. Luo was cautious but not worried, he was had been hired as an assassin before and knew easily how to kill, however, the rage in the general's eyes made him flinch.

Shang wanted so badly to lunge and viciously attack the man, but he knew that Luo was formidable for his stealth and he would be no good to Mulan, the army or China if he were wounded or killed. Finally Luo attacked.

The men hit swords with an earsplitting clang and then Shang took the offensive. With two hands on his sword he was much stronger then Luo and hacked and pushed the man back. Luo struggled under the onslaught but then locked Shang's sword to the side and pulled out a knife. Shang saw the metal flash in the rising sun and dodged just before it slashed through his middle.

He stepped to the side and grabbed Luo's wrist of the hand holding the knife and pulled him forward freeing his sword in the movement. Luo fell to the ground and quickly rolled to the side as he heard Shang's sword whistle through the air. He didn't move his arm quickly enough and felt a searing pain as the tip of Shang's sword gashed his forearm and caused him to drop the knife.

Luo wasn't on the ground for long, he quickly sprang to his feet and attacked again.

* * *

Chien Po was just exiting his tent when he heard the clang. He looked over his tent and saw the two men fighting. He saw the knife flash and Shang throw Luo down. He didn't hesitate in running to get help.

* * *

Cail opened his eyes and stretched. He rolled over to his riding clothes and began to don them. He did some stretches and was about to open the tent flap when it was opened for him.

Chien Po's massive frame filled the exit. "Captain Cail! Luo and Shang are fighting! We must stop them before the rest of the recruits wake up."

Chien Po was right, Shang or Luo might get seriously injured or killed and the troops would lose respect for Shang if he was beaten by a captain. Besides, to Cail, Shang was a son. Cail quickly picked up some pieces of his armor and donned them. No use running in the way of a blade unprotected.

* * *

Mulan's tent was near the edge of the field and she was stirred by the sound of sword fighting. She heard voices and mentally panicked. One of the voices was Shang's. She opened her tent flap just in time to see Chien Po and Cail run by.

She quickly got up and out of her tent. She looked past Chien Po and Cail to see Shang and Luo fighting. She ran after Chien Po and Cail.

* * *

Shang and Luo had been fighting equally for several minutes when Luo suddenly feigned a swing at Shang's neck and then suddenly dropped down and tripped him. Shang landed on his back and quickly swept his legs under Luo dropping him to the ground as well. Shang sprung on him trying to pin his arms behind his back. The arm he had cut was starting to bleed profusely and Luo would have to stop soon or he would begin to lose a dangerous amount of blood. Shang decided that he wouldn't kill him today, but he would be demoted and humiliated and not allowed within half a league of Mulan.

* * *

Luo stopped struggling for a second to catch his breath, his arm was really starting to hurt. He felt Shang start to pin him and then remembered a move that he had been taught by a merchant's guard. He let his arm go slack as Shang started to bring it backwards and then with the agility of a cat he grabbed Shang's arm and with a huge grunt of exertion flipped him off. Again they started to grapple and then was when the insults started to fly.

Shang dragged him up so he could punch him in the stomach, "Haven't improved after 3 years, eh Luo?".

Luo spun and kicked Shang "Still an arrogant general's son, you would still be on mess duty if your father hadn't left you his position." Shang swore and kicked back. "I'm not the one who was nearly tossed out of the academy for cheating Luo, you're lucky your father paid off."

Luo and Shang were now attacking and blocking equally. "We both know you almost got kicked out..Shang..for messing with that noble's daughter..." Shang punched Luo squarely in the gut. "Well at least I don't have to force a girl..If you ever go near her again I'll kill you for sure!!" Shang was about to lunge on Luo again when suddenly he was grabbed from behind. He turned around ready to attack when he saw it was Cail.

"You fool, fighting and swearing where your men can see! You're lucky they've slept in." Cail whispered fiercely to him. Shang looked and saw that Chien Po was holding Luo off the ground and trying to get him to repeat chants. It was then he also saw Mulan running towards the horse corrals.

"She heard the part about the noble's daughter," Cail told him as he released his hold.


	10. Chapter 10: Problems and Resolutions

**Sorry for the lack of updates!**

Shang went running after Mulan, all thoughts of Luo forgotten. She had to know that he had never messed with another girl. The noble's daughter that Luo was talking about was actually his sister, disguised, sneaking letters and visits to him in the academy. Rumors had started to flow when someone had seen her come out of his room once and only through his father's generous pocket had the whole thing been swept under the rug.

Mulan had by now grabbed Khan's bridle, bridled him and hopped on bareback. Shang got their just as she galloped Khan out and towards the forest. Shang called her but she ignored him. He had no choice but to bridle and ride his horse bareback after her. She was heading for enemy lines.

* * *

Mulan heard Shang call her name but ignored him. He had lied to her, he had told her he had never been with a girl before, and with his strong sense of honour and discipline she believed him. He hadn't even contradicted Luo when he said it. 

She pushed Khan to go faster when she turned and saw him mounting his horse. It hurt, that even with his betrayal she could admire his athleticism as he swung onto his horse in one fluid movement.

Mulan had no idea where she was going, just that she wanted to get away.

* * *

Shang urged his mount to a full fledged gallop but he knew that Khan was faster. Fa Zhou had a reputation not only in the military but also in his horse breeding, and of course his daughter would have the best. He found her tracks, happy to have found them but also scared. If he could see her tracks from a galloping horse, the huns would have no problems finding them as well. Even though they were camped on the other side of the wall, he knew some of them would be over scouting, having snuck in as traders, and his chest tightened knowing Mulan was galloping head long in front of him perhaps unaware.

* * *

Cail pushed Luo to the ground, "You utter ass! You know that those were rumours you started about Shang's sister!"

"How was I to know that was his sister! He doesn't tell everyone everything Cail!" Luo said clutching his arm that was still oozing blood. Chien Po moved to look at it but Luo snatched it away. "I'm going to go look for Captain Fa, she's to valuable to have captured."

"If you so much as look sideways at her again Luo, it won't be Shang trying to kill you," Cail said menacingly. "You could never handle that he was above you and sunk to running away and being a hired assassin. It was me who put the word in for you so you could come back to the army. I thought that maybe you would have matured enough to become an officer. I thought that you would be able to help lead stealth attacks on the enemy to help us get information so we could attack better, but no, your hot headedness and rashness still gets the better of you. Moving on a woman is one thing, but your superior officer's fiancée really takes the cake."

Luo took the verbal berating sullenly. It always frustrated him that Cail knew so much about him, and always was trying to help him. Every time he got a chance he managed to royally screw up. "If it's information you want from me, then it's information you'll get."

He set off for the medic's tent and to get his things. He would find the enemy, and decapitate them, he would kill Bao. That would solve their problems and win back his respect. He would prove that he was better than Shang and that he was worth something to Mulan. He was an assassin, after all, his skill was killing, the king or self proclaimed leader of Mongolia would be his most glorious job.

He saddled his little jet black mare Jia and set off into the forest.

Cail turned to Chien-Po and motioned him closer. "Tell the men we will have a late departure this morning as a reward for their hard marching, don't tell them we are missing three officers."

* * *

Mulan pressed Khan but he started to slow down. As he did she heard Shang behind her, "Mulan...Mulan..." She tried to spur Khan forward but he kept slowing down until he slid to a stop and started to shake his head. "Who are you listening to anyway Khan?" she said, making a futile attempt to move him forward, but he only balked before looking backward as if in answer to her question. 

Shang came galloping up besider her, "Let me explain Mulan," he gasped catching his breath, "it was my sister".

Mulan was shocked, "You courted your sister!"

Shang looked at her incredulously for a moment before breaking down into laughter, his shoulders shaking. "Mulan..." he chuckled before continuing, "I never courted my sister, she used to sneak into the academy and deliver letters from my mother as I only saw her once a year otherwise," he gasped before breaking down into laughter.

Mulan felt as if her world had been uprighted. His deep laughter was contagious and she started to laugh with him. He gave her hand a squeeze looking at her with amusement in his eyes and all was forgiven between them.

* * *

Chi Fu was trussed up like a turkey on a little pony between two huns. He had been captured was now being taken back to the hun camp. He had been riding along when the two huns had simply ambushed him. They had taken all his valuables and freed his horse, which had been so happy to be rid of the little pompous man that he had kicked him in the head before galloping off. So now Chi Fu, broke, captured, and suffering from a minor concussion was on his way to meet a hun king and warlord. Luckily he was distracted by the concussion.

He watched as they approached the Great Wall in confusement. He had been sent to accompany armies on missions like this before and remembered this section of the wall. He didn't remember there being a gate for leagues though.

As they got closer he saw something that made him gasp. The huns had torn a hole wide enough for three horseback riders abreast to ride through.

* * *

Luo saw the huns with the little council man. He had no love for him though and so did not really care what happened to him. However he was useful as he knew the huns would take him straight to their leader. He followed them and gasped at the hole in the wall. He should tell Shang, he was not unloyal to their cause, but he couldn't risk losing the trail of the huns and followed them through. He followed them for another hour before they reached the camp. Luo was stunned. 

In amongst the forest were more huns then he had thought plausible. Their camp was disorderly and reeked of unwashed skin. Their were some mutts running amongst the tents and pony picket lines. The huns themselves were brawling and arguing. On previous missions he had learned some of the hun dialect and he could make out that they were basically wrestless as they had been there for a month or two already. As could be expected the hunting was getting continually worse and that overall the provisions were draining. A man of some superiority was walking about stopping arguments with a few quiet words.

All the noise stopped when the two huns rode in with the little council man. At that moment, from a large tent near the centre of the camp a large man emerged and he was unmistakable. The large muscular frame, the scar down his face, the powerful features and the frightning prescence could only belong to Bao, he was easily a head taller then the men surrounding him.

Bao made an imperious gesture and signalled the two huns to bring Chi Fu to his tent.

Luo lost no time, he knew he had to hear what was about to be said and so he quickly hid Jia amongst the trees and took out an unsuspecting sentry. Then quietly he dressed in the man's rank furs and walked into the camp. He made his way inconspicuously to the large tent in the center and listened just in time to hear Chi Fu tell Bao everything he knew about the Imperial army.

**Hey everybody, sorry this update took so long! I'm going to try and finish this fic before the end of summer. Everybody else, keep writing!**


	11. Chapter 11: Spying

**Here's an update!**

Mulan and Shang arrived back at the camp and Cail and ChieniPo greeted them.

"We gave the men the morning off to recoup, as well as the relationship of our lead officers," Cail told them as they dismounted giving Shang a wink.

"It will give us a chance then to discuss strategy," Shang said signaling for them to follow to his tent. Yao and Ling joined them and they all gathered inside.

* * *

"I say that we scout them out," Yao proclaimed. They had been studying the maps and discussing for an hour at this point.

"It would be a lot safer to base ourselves at the walls," said Cail hoping to get the group to agree with him. He really wanted Shan to do the spying; he had infinite more experience at it and was really quite good. He was hoping to buy him some time.

"That does make sense…" murmured Shang.

"I don't think so," Mulan cut in, "If they have any cannons they could blow the regiment to pieces along with the wall. I agree that we should have some men there, but I also agree with Yao, we should send a party of about 50 to scout them out."

Cail looked at her with amazement, he had difficulty sometimes remembering that this was her first assignment. He had to think fast.

"If they see a small contingent like that then they will ambush them without asking any questions," he replied.

"Then we will make it a smaller bunch, if I go, dressed as a woman with a handful of men, they may think us a family moving or merchants." Mulan retorted, "I don't want to sit here and wait for them or let them spy on us so they can plan the most effective ambush, we have to beat them to it, China may fall if the infiltrate the wall!"

"If you go on a scouting mission like that then I'm coming with you," Shang said, giving her a significant look that made both their eyes soften.

"I can understand why you would want to Shang, but if things go wrong we cannot afford to lose both of you, as the general Shang you must take care." Cail warned him.

"Then it is settled," Mulan said, before Shang could reply, "I will take a handful of men and scout the huns. We will report back with their numbers, position and any other advantageous information."

* * *

An hour later Mulan was packing her things to go. Cail had chosen 3 men for her to travel with, all very skilled warriors. She looked up when she heard someone enter the tent.

Shang stood in the entranceway, his eyes sad. She moved forward and embraced him. He clutched her to his chest buried his head into her hair inhaling her scent. She nestled closer to him.

"I don't want you to go." He whispered.

"You never would want me to go." She sighed back, "But you must understand why."

He reached under her chin and tilted her head back so he could kiss her.

"Understanding never makes it easier." He said, still cupping her face with one hand.

"Just know that I love you," she said, kissing him once again. He returned it earnestly.

* * *

Bao glared down at the sniveling councilman. It had taken him nothing to get the man to reveal the Imperial army's secrets.

"Let's say I had one more task for you," he said in his harshly accented Chinese.

Chi Fu looked up at him, a piteous mess.

"I want you to return to your army and set it up that they will give me the heroine Mulan, I want her for my bride. Conquering China with her meekly at my side will prove that I am the greatest and most feared ruler."

"Yes your majesty," Chi Fu sniveled, giving a scraping bow. Bao kicked him towards the exit of the tent and barked orders at one of the guards to fetch a horse and some clean clothes. "Oh and Chi Fu," the councilman cringed and turned around, "you are not to tell anyone that you were captured, make up your own excuse for being missing, but don't let them know we have met. If you fail you will truly wish that we'd never met." Bao said, his tone cool and menacing.

Chi Fu took the horse and clothes and did not look back.

* * *

Mulan and then men waved farewell and moved off into the forest. They would go to the wall and find a gate through. On the other side they would discreetly search for the huns. Cail was probably right in saying the stench would give them away a mile off.

She looked once more over her shoulder and saw Shang standing somberly watching her leave. It her hurt to leave him, but she must fulfill her duties.

* * *

The remaining officers drilled the soldiers for the remainder of the day and gave a great deal of time to teaching the men the huns' fighting techniques. Shang and Cail were returning to their tents when Chi Fu came galloping madly in. He yanked the ill bred horse to a stop, his hands trembling.

"Chi Fu, what on earth has happened, you look like you have seen hell itself!" Cail exclaimed.

"I was delivering a message and was attacked by bandits. They killed my horse so I had to take one of theirs," Chi Fu trilled, almost falling on his face in the process of dismounting.

"Well then go take a bath and settle those shaking hands, Cail said taking the horse from him. I'll put this beast away." Cail and Shang turned toward the horse corrals.

"I still can't believe she's out there with only three warriors Cail," Shang murmured to Cail as they walked away. Chi Fu stopped dead in his tracks and craned to listen. "Do you really think that it is wise?"

"Shang, no one will expect a woman and her male companions to be the imperial army, besides, if all goes according to plan and they travel mostly by night through the forest, the likelihood of them being encountered is much slimmer."

Chi Fu skipped the bath and ran to his tent and immediately began to compose a letter for Bao. That night he snuck out on the ill bred horse and rode back to the hun camp where he put it in the hands of one of the sentries.

* * *

Mulan was already tired after only two days. Her male companions, while skilled warriors and scouts had yet to come up with a conversation topic that did not involve women, alcohol, fast horses or bodily functions. Combine that with having to travel through the dark at night and she was getting down right tired and cranky.

Within the next minute she got a branch in the face because she could not see it and heard what had to be the worst chauvinistic joke yet. These two things greatly contributed to her whirling around on the men behind her and giving them a severe tongue lashing.

The men stared at her in amazment as she ranted, "You male pigs! For once in your life could you talk as if you were not a pig and somewhat of a civilized, literate, homo sapien!"

She noticed suddenly that one of them men's eyes had gone glassy. She looked down and saw the arrow and blood beginning to protrude from his chest. She yelled a warning, spinning around as Khan gave a vicious buck, catching a large man in the shoulders and knocking him down.

She barely resettled in her saddle when another man lunged at her from the side. She unsheathed her sword and ran him through while Khan continued to administer harm with his shod hooves. She barely had time to recoil in horror at the first man she had actually killed with her own hands before they renewed their attack. She saw another of her men fall and continued to slice away at the continually coming men. She heard one of the give a wolf cry and knew that he was summoning more.

She continued to futilely fight against the amassing huns. In her peripheral she saw her last man fall and it was then that a heavy blow to her temple knocked her unconscious.

**Mwa ha ha. Got love a cliffhanger. The more reviews I read, the faster my update speed!**

**Canadarulz**


	12. Chapter 12: Captivity

**Thanks for the reviews!**

Mulan felt as if she had been hit my a ton of bricks. Blinking groggily, she tried to sit up, but fell right back down. She heard a chuckling that made her hair stand on end. She made a slower attempt and sat up to see who it was. She was not prepared for the sight that beheld her.

Underneath the candlelight was a huge man. Even though he was sitting, she could tell that he was taller then Shang, perhaps by ½ a foot, scary considering Shang was already a head and a bit taller than her. He had a beard, and a scar that went through one of his eyes giving him the appearance of a seasoned warrior. His skin did not have the typical sickly sallow appearance of his fellow Mongolians and while his features were hard they were not unattractive. All in all it was not the type of man who she wanted to find herself in the tent of.

"Do you know who I am?" he asked. His voice was deep, but somehow that made it soothing.

"No," she gasped, letting out only an inkling of the fear she truly felt. It was weird that she felt so comfortable and safe with Shang, but with this man only terror.

He chuckled, "I'm King Bao, I gained my status by defeating my enemies and by birthright. You are my prisoner, though you may become more then that." He paused and she felt her pulse quicken, "I will marry you, to show you that a mere woman shall never conquer the great Mongolians."

These words hit her with force. This time his words invoked not fear but anger. "I will not marry you!" she spat.

"Very brave words for a small girl," he said, "even if you are the woman warrior." He shifted and she could see the anger rising in his eyes, "Pray tell why you will not marry me, rather why you are not bowing and scraping for the privilege, I could have left you to die with your men out there you know." A silence hung between them.

"I…I…", she stumbled, not knowing exactly what to say. She could not speak of Shang less it put him in danger. She was brought back with a painful slap to her face. The pain was excruciating, but so was the shock. No one had ever slapped her before, not Shang, nor her father.

"Tell me!" Bao yelled. Just then Chi-Fu was shoved into the tent. Mulan burned with the sudden understanding. She had never liked Chi-Fu, but now he was a confirmed traitor.

"Why won't this wench tell me why she won't marry me?" Bao yelled at him. Chi-Fu looked at her condescendingly. Before he could reply Luo Shan pushed his way into the tent.

"Personally, I wouldn't want to marry someone at least three times my body weight, but hey that just me." Shan quipped. He was tied with his arms bound to his sides.

Bao nearly growled at him and looked like he was about to pulverize him, but Chi-Fu intervened. "My lord this is Captain Luo Shan, he has information on the enemy."

Only Mulan heard him mutter "Apparently," under his breath. She realized that Chi-Fu was gone during the period of time that Shan had fallen from grace. She was grateful that he was seemingly on her side despite the incident, but at the same time she was still angry with him.

"So Captain, perhaps you can tell me why she won't marry me." Said Bao, he was still looking just as menacing.

"Perhaps it because she has just woken up captive in a dirty tent with an equally dirty man. I don't know about you, but to me that doesn't scream romance. Especially compared to what she's used to." Shan said giving Bao a wink. Bao looked from him to her and then threw his head back and laughed.

"You are lucky to have such a cunning lover." Bao retorted now looking at her. "But, unless you can prove your worth, Captain, you will be put to death for reasons you have just outlined."

Mulan could not believe what Shan had done; he had totally taken the heat off of Shang, though Bao did not know that. She felt her anger slowly ebbing. Perhaps Shan really wasn't of such a bad sort. No, she suddenly thought, what he did was unforgivable.

"I don't really think you want to kill me, great king," Shan said with the befitting simper. "as this worm said, I do have information and I will share it if you let her go free." He said gesturing towards her. For a moment Mulan's hopes rose.

"I like you captain, but not that much. I think that rather, you shall be grateful that I am sparing your miserable life. I'm disturbed to find out she is no longer a virgin, but one woman with thousands of men, I'm not sure why I expected differently." Bao gestured to a man outside the tent. "Prepare a tent for these two prisoners. Post many guards, and it is death if they escape. They maybe the keys to China's demise."

* * *

Later, Mulan sat crosslegged beside Shan who was lying sleeping despite having his arms bound just like she had hers now. Mulan didn't even know what to think. She was captive to a fierce king, he wanted to marry her although she was already engaged and could not break her vow before heaven, and her only ally was a man who had done a terrible job of trying to seduce her. She had no idea why he was still trying to help her, he had made an offer for her freedom at risk to himself. Why was he here at all? In a small moment of temper she kicked him.

"Mom, I don't want to wake up, I'm too tired…" he muttered as he rolled over. She snicked for a second before kicking him again. Having her arms bound gave her an excuse for using her feet on him.

Shan grunted, murmered something about abuse and rolled over again. Mulan put her head down and giggled again, but when she brought her head back up his face was in front of hers, close enough to kiss her actually. He looked into her eyes for a moment and then backed off.

"You are going to have to learn to be more stealthy," he said, sprawling on his back for all the world as if he was a cat soaking up the sun, "that is if you want to get out of here alive."

"Why are you here Shan?" she asked, "did you follow me and the men?"

"No, after Shang and I fought I left. I was going to kill Bao, but then realized you were here. If I slew Bao earlier this evening, it would have sent the camp into an uproar and then I would have a very difficult time getting you out in one piece." He said, all the while looking up at her with his gorgeous eyes. She had to stop thinking of them that way.

He suddenly laughed, a brief dry laugh, "Shang would certainly kill me now if he knew you and I were sharing a tent tonight."

Mulan kicked him again, "Why are we even sharing a tent? It seems weird that they would put me in with a male prisoner when he intends to marry me."

Shan laughed again, "Because I've already had my way with you, remember? Besides I'd have to be pretty creative to get your pants off with my teeth." This time she kicked him with both feet.

**So what's going to happen? Review and you will find out! Happy Holidays everyone!**

**Canadarulz**


	13. Chapter 13: Loyalty

Shang paced.

He didn't know why he let her go. Well he knew, but that did not make it any easier.

Cail himself, a man who rarely showed strenuous emotion was starting to look slightly tense and that just made it worse for Shang. They both knew that Mulan should have returned ½ a day ago.

"Shang it could be something completely harmless, like her horse lost a shoe," said Yao as he came around the corner of the tents they were standing by.

"Or it could be the worse possible thing; I swear by my ancestors that she will never campaign again. She will stay at home raising our family." Shang paused for a second, stunned that he had said the last part aloud. Cail gave him a sympathetic look.

Suddenly, one of the regular scouts came galloping in.

"General, General!"

Shang whipped around and Cail rose to his feet.

"General! Zhao and Gung's horses were found. There was blood on both saddles." The scout was down to a squeak by the end. Shang wanted to cry, Zhao and Gung were two of the men who went with Mulan.

"We are attacking then." Shang muttered.

"Shang be reasonable, perhaps…" Cail was cut off as Shang whirled on him.

"We are attacking them Cail! There is a chance that she is a prisoner as Khan wasn't found and I will not leave her with them!"

* * *

Mulan tried to stretch out her back the next morning, being bound was a surefire way to make all your muscles sore.

She sat up and saw Shan sitting by the edge of the tent. They had decided last night that they would call a truce of sorts and work together to escape.

He turned around, easily sensing her movements. Mulan thought wryly it was no wonder the man had excelled as an assassin, he was always aware and extremely stealthy.

"The army is going back to King Bao's estates," he muttered.

"What?!" Mulan said, showing only some of the panic she felt. If the army retreated then Shang might not lead their army to attack. He might just assume she was dead.

"It wasn't hard to figure out," Shan said, turning back to the tent flap, "all the men are just as surprised as you." A sentry from the outside of the tent poked his head in,  
"King Bao has decided that you two will ride up in the front with him, he wants to discuss his plans."

Mulan had no doubt that she would not think much of them.

An hour later, after being handed a Mongolian riding outfit and having the opportunity to bathe, she found herself riding up beside Bao. Shan was on his other side, but where Mulan had two guards flanking her, he had four. Bao had decided that with his entire army following close behind them that they could ride with out restraints.

She idly flipped her reins against her other hand, she was scared but also somewhat curious to talk to Bao. Shan had told her a bit about his reputation last night. He was a fierce leader and while his methods were cruel he was always fair. He had been born to be king and had managed to hold his throne since he was 15, fending off his rivals through constant bloodshed. Obviously he was a fierce man and somewhat cunning but she wondered why after taking two prisoners he would so quickly retreat.

"You look like you are thinking hard little warrior." Bao muttered as he moved his mount closer to Khan. Khan must have felt her anxiety as he tried to nip at Bao's stallions shoulder. The stallion cut him off with pinned ears and a fierce glare.

"I would advise you keep your stallion under control, mine is quite nasty."

Mulan stroked Khan's neck to soothe him then turned to Bao.

"Why are you retreating, and why are you taking us with you."

Bao laughed, "You ask many questions little warrior. I am going home because I have gotten what I wanted. No mere woman will bring such disgrace upon my family without being put in her place. I was originally going to make you a concubine but I think I will have you for myself. You shall be my first wife, my trophy."

Mulan had never been the most rational person. One could guess that by her tendancy to run head on toward a charging hun army, her battling warlords on rooftops, but she herself did not expect the reaction she had to Bao's words. She balled up her fist and punched him, hard.

He did not even flinch. It was no wonder because Mulan was almost sure she had broken her hand, the man must be part rock! Before she could think much more on the subject though the two guards flanking her had grabbed her shoulders and pulled her from Khan. She hit the ground and felt the wind get knocked out of her. She tried to struggle from the guards' grasp but they held firm. She herd commotion to her right and saw that Shan was struggling with his guards.

Bao merely raised his hand, "Stop".

Mulan's guards pulled her forward onto the ground and crouched beside her, maintaining their grip on her arm. She looked and saw that Shan was now being held fast by a group of hun soldiers that had been behind them. She then noticed that all his guards lay dead on the ground. How had he done it?

"Put her back on her horse. I should kill you for handling her so." Bao looked to make sure they obeyed and then turned to where Shan was still faintly struggling. "Stop Captain or I will let them have their way with you. Bring your horse closer. You men will now be his guard."

Mulan was roughly dragged upright and then Khan came whinnying back to her side restrained by another soldier. She was boosted back into her saddle. It was a good thing to for her body ached.

Bao was now turned to face Shan, "Where did you learn to fight? You had best tell the truth."

"At the Imperial Military Academy."

"You lie, you kill as fast as an assassin and as stealthily too."

"I don't see the need for wasted motion."

"Still, I know you have trained elsewhere."

"I mentored with a martial arts master for two moon cycles when I was younger."

Bao gave him an imperious look. "How would you like to join my army." Mulan's eyebrows shot up. Shan had just killed four of his men and he was offering him a job?

Shan's face revealed little, "What kind of job?" Mulan could not believe him.

Bao turned to face her and then Shan again, "I want you to be her bodyguard."

Mulan just about fell from her horse, Shan her bodyguard?!

Shan this time was not able to conceal his surprise, "You want me to be her bodyguard?"

"It is obvious you care for her and it is obvious that you are a very skilled fighter. If you swear to my army then you will become her bodyguard. You will follow her everywhere and make sure no harm comes to her."

Shan dismounted from his horse and knelt before Bao, "I renounce my loyalty to the Imperial Army and now swear my allegiance to the army of King Bao. I will remain loyal to his army until my last breath with my ancestors as my witness." He then rose and got back on his horse which he deftly steered over beside Khan. Mulan glared daggers at him.

"Well now that is settled, I think we should continue to proceed back to my estates."

* * *

Mulan was once again sitting in the tent, bound, although Shan no longer was. At first sharing a tent with a man had made Mulan very uncomfortable but she was slowly getting used to having Shan around. It was a good thing as he would be around all the time now. How did she ever get herself into this?

"I can't believe you've joined the other side Shan, how can you turn your back on your country?"

"I hardly saw the point in resisting a man with that many armed men behind him."

Shan grunted as she punched him. "Haven't you ever heard of loyalty Shan?" He winced when she punched him, and she felt a small bit of remorse as he rolled back his sleeve to examine his arm. It was then that she remembered that Shang had wounded him.

"Why do you think I followed you?" he muttered as he rolled down his sleeve, "And besides, haven't you ever heard of not punching guys who annoy you?"

* * *

Bao's armies moved quickly, and soon they were within days of his estates. Things settled into a routine as they traveled. Mulan rode up near the front with Bao at his orders and Shan flanked her wherever she went. Already he had dispelled several soldiers who thought to bother her.

Mulan sat gazing into the fire that Shan had started. Bao had made it clear that they would still share living quarters so that Shan could protect her. Shan had disappeared for the moment as he sometimes did. Sometimes it was to dispatch someone, sometimes he brought back food, and once he had brought back magnolia blossoms. She had not been able to explain to him that she had burst into tears because of the homesickness they had caused her.

She was comfortable, Shan and Bao saw to that, but emotionally she was tormented. She did not understand why Shang had not come for her. Bao's armies were moving quickly, but still. If he had pursued he should have caught up by now.

She felt a tear slowly rolling down her cheek. She was supposed to marry Shang. She was supposed to marry him and return home with him so that they could start a new life together, but she did not see how that could happen now. Now she was going to be forced into a marriage with Bao and everything about the eventuality frightened her. She had gotten to know him better over the last few days, began to understand him. While he was fierce there was also a side to him that seemed to want to come out in the open. A side that was playful, and sometimes even gentle. A side that he could never truly allow out though while he led so many power-hungry and blood-thirsty men.

The tears were flowing more freely now. What about Shan? Initially she had thought him the worst sort after he had snuck up on her while she was bathing, but she was now beginning to believe the opposite. Over the last few days he had been nothing but kind to her even though she knew she had treated him poorly, and he was genuinely concerned for her well-being. He no longer flirted with her but rather took on the roll of...she couldn't think of a good comparison. She had initially thought of husband, but she knew she could never allow herself to think of him that way. She was now promised to the Mongolian king and if she ever escaped she was promised to Shang.

He was in someways still an enigma to her though. Sometimes he was very open and he seemed to take great joy in poking fun at things including her. Other times he became more serious. Somehow though he was always very loyal and always put her needs ahead of his own. More so then just what his position as her bodyguard entailed.

Exhausted she rested her head upon her knees, tears still rolling down her cheeks and she slowly began to weep. She did not notice when Shan emerged from the forest and came to sit beside her.

* * *

Shan sat beside Mulan for a moment and then took her and hugged her to his chest. She was beautiful in a way that made his heartache, not only physically with her eyes that seemed never ending to him, but with her strength of spirit. A part of him knew that he could never have her, but that also seemed to make him want her all the more.

He had never been in love before. He had admired girls and had his share of flirting and dancing and sometimes more. He had never understood the men in the old ballads who had given everything they had for the sake of a woman. Yet somehow Mulan took away the mystery of it. He found himself more and more wanting to do everything he could for her.

She was still gently crying against his chest, dampening his shirt, and so he made soothing sounds and rubbed her back. Without thinking he gently kissed her head.

Her crying subsided and she looked up at him. For a moment they gazed at each other. He did not know what she was thinking but he was amazed at how he still thought she looked like a goddess even with tears in the corner of her eyes.


	14. Chapter 14: Possibilities

Shang cursed inwardly

Shang cursed inwardly. He had roused the Chinese army, gotten the thousands of men on the move, yet he knew they would not be able to catch Bao's army. Only one scout had returned to tell him this morning of Bao's sudden retreat. It was obvious that Bao was retreating and that he intended to gain a head-start should the Chinese choose to pursue.

He was caught in the worst position; he could not catch Bao's army, not when all the Mongolian's were on horse and such natural horsemen, yet he could not leave his army. Not while he was the general. A general assigned other men to go, he himself did not leave.

He grasped his head in his hands for a moment. How could he have been so foolish? Why had he let her go? If something had happened to her… He could not bear to think of it yet it was all he could think about. Images of her constantly flashed through his mind, her on the day he had proposed, looking every inch a bride, her fighting Shan-Yu on the roof, but mostly just her turning towards him and smiling.

He decided. He spurred his stallion forward, ready to go and get her no matter what the cost. Cail cut him off.

"Let me go, it is not worth it without her."

"Have you learned nothing! You must serve your country! It comes before everything else. Honour means everything." Cail told him forcibly.

Shang inclined his head and spoke softly, "It means nothing without her."

"What good would it be if you and she are both dead?" Cail whispered under his breath.

"So you think she is dead?" Shang breathed back. Despite the fact that Cail was one of his best friends and mentors, there was nothing in Shang's eyes but menace.

"Of course not, but more then anything I wish Shan had not buggered off."

"You are concerned for him!" Shang spat back. "After all he has done he is all you can think about! What is he, your child!".

Something in Cail twitched, but he turned to face him slowly, "If there was anyone who could get her back it would be him." Cail said, emphasizing his last word. "You must let the bitterness between you go Shang. If Shan returns, he is your best chance at seeing her again. Despite what he has done he is very skilled." Cail matched Shang's glare.

"You ask a lot of me Cail." Shang said, regaining his normal composure. "You ask more though for me to not go in pursuit alone now."

"We will find her Shang."

That day they found the hole in the wall and began to go through

* * *

"You are lying to me." Bao hissed as he circled her. Mulan sat cross legged in his tent. It was just the two of them and she was doing her best not to give away anything to him. She knew him better now and knew that it was his temper that was her real threat.

"You must be of some worth to someone else in the Imperial army for them to go past the Wall now that we are gone."

"Shan was my lover."

"Nice try, now tell me who it was really."

"Why do you not believe me?" Mulan said, turning to face him.

"For two that were lovers you sure do not act it. You hardly let him near you, only when you are exhausted or need his help."

"I'm your intended for you now, would you rather he was all over me?" she asked icily. She was tired of the ruse, she was tired of it all.

"Who was your real lover?"

Mulan sunk her head down. While she was Shang's fiancée she still was a virgin. She almost laughed at the lengths at which Bao was going to, to find out about a lover she never had had.

She sensed him behind her before he grasped her shoulder roughly and faced her towards him. "You had best tell me!" he roared before lifting her single handedly by the throat.

Her lungs gasped for air and she felt a burning sensation down her back at being held out so. The pressure to her neck was increasing.

As suddenly as it happened it stopped and she hit the floor of the tent. For a moment she was winded and still couldn't breathe. When she looked up Bao was looking past her. She turned and saw Shan.

She had seen him mad before, but never like she saw him now. His eyes were blazing hatred and every muscle in his face was tense. His right hand was behind his back, where she knew he kept a dagger. That she was now on the floor did nothing to abate his obvious rage.

Bao looked at him, matching him for rigid stance. Mulan wondered if this was the part where they lept at each other and fought to the death. She had never seen two men have such a match in masculine pride and anger without moving or saying anything. She was brought back by the pain in her throat and the fact she could now start to breathe properly again but still let out the occasional gasp at the pain in her throat.

"Take her back to her tent," was all Bao said. "Treat her yourself."

* * *

Mulan sat beside Shan in the tent they now shared. He had made some compresses that she now held to her throat to ease the pain. He was staring moodily at the floor, pointedly keeping his gaze down.

"Thank you for coming when you did," she said, trying to get him to face her. "he didn't believe that you were the only man with interests in me in the Imperial army."

"It's too bad that you became Shang's flower girl." Shan said. She punched him so hard that he grunted.

"How dare you! We never sacrificed our honour!"

Shan looked up at her incredulous, "You mean to tell me you never slept with him!"

"No! Or anyone" she added the last bit quietly under her breath. What was the matter with her! Why was she even discussing this with him?

When she looked back at Shan he still looked shocked, "No wonder you looked so scared that night."

Mulan looked over at him "What was I supposed to do; leap into your arms?"

"Well maybe look at me more like a God then a viper." This time he dodged her swing at him. "I'm sorry Mulan, I wouldn't have, had I known. I thought you knew…more."

Their gazes met for a second. It was an apology that she thought she would never receive, not from him and not for that pretense; definitely not in this circumstance.

Shan squeezed her hand. "I guess that means we have to fake that we've made love together, or that one of us has ever made love at all."

This time he didn't avoid her swing. "How did this happen Shan? We have to get out of here."

"Have you ever considered forming an alliance though Mulan? If you wed him you could forge a peace treaty between our countries. At least your precious Shang could be safe instead of potentially killing himself trying to get you back."

He knew he had struck a nerve. He continued on. "Your family would be safe, everyone's family would be safe. It might mean an end to all the fighting." He watched her as his words sunk in.

She dragged a hand through her hair and then looked at him. She was a goddess as far as he was concerned.

Finally she spoke, "What is the happiness of two people in the face of so many?" she quietly mused. "It would mean that I might never see him again or that if we were to see each other I would be on the arm of Bao…"

He looped an arm around her and pulled her up against him. She was too tired to object and instead let herself lean against him. The weight of her there felt good. It was hard to believe that this little conversation between the two of them may affect the balance of their country.


	15. Chapter 15: A Fate Sealed

**Author's Note: Basically any semblance of historical accuracy in my story has been thrown out the window (like the old guy in the Emperor's New Groove).**

Mulan and Shan glanced at each other nervously. It was one thing to talk about peace between China and Mongolia, it was quite another thing to actually bring it about; especially when it was Bao that they had to negotiate it with.

They were riding a horse length behind him now and were mentally rehearsing their plan. If all went well they would be successful, if not Mulan would become a trophy wife unless the Chinese army actually caught up. Something Shan doubted at the rate the Mongolians were moving.

He looked at her as she met his eyes, gave a quick nod and they rode up beside Bao, one on each side.

"Shan, where did you come from? Obviously you are not Chinese, or at least not completely." Bao's question caught them completely off guard.

"My mother was Persian and my father was Chinese." This surprised Mulan, she had though he was simply Persian.

"How did a half Persian boy go through the academy?" Bao asked.

"I was born in Persia. My father was a Chinese soldier who met and fell in love with my mother, a member of the Persian nobility. My mother died in childbirth and my father was killed in a skirmish. Rejected by my mother's family and later my father's, a soldier named Tsao Cail brought me back with him to China and I was raised by the servants in his house. He did not adopt me per say, but he made sure my needs were met and sponsored me through the academy. I ran away at one point but he accepted me again when I returned…I owe him a lot." There was a far off look in Shan's eyes as he finished his tale. Suddenly a lot of things made sense to Mulan. Shan had never really had parents as while Cail had looked out for him he had not raised him as his own son.

"Indeed, this Cail was good to you to bring you all the way from Persia to China." Bao agreed. "Now what is it that you two want to talk to me about? You two have been fidgeting all morning."

Mulan and Shan glanced at each other, and then Mulan spoke. "Bao, why not form an alliance between China and Mongolia with our marriage. It would benefit both our people and stop the constant bloodshed."

"First you look like you are going to be sick at the idea of our marriage and now you want an alliance?" Bao questioned, looking her head on. She met his gaze.

"Bao, you are the king, I'm known throughout China, why would we not turn this into an advantageous situation?" Mulan's insides were twisting as she spoke. The idea of not marrying Shang still made her want to leap off the Great Wall.

"Did you put her up to this?" Bao asked, turning to Shan.

"I may have given her the idea." Shan honestly said. While Mulan was turning rapidly pale and on the brink of tremors, he sat his horse as flippant as she had ever seen him. Of course he wasn't the one who had to marry this man.

Bao turned back to her. "So you would honestly marry me, not bugger off, bear my children, and rule Mongolia with me to the best of your ability if I consented to an alliance. Would you swear it?" Mulan could tell he was trying to frighten her, testing her and her word, her honour. She so wanted to live her life with Shang, to bear his children, to be his wife; but Shan was right, what was the happiness of Shang and she if she could stop the fighting between China and Mongolia? Her knuckles went white on her reins and her heart shattered. Under her breath she muttered "I'm so sorry Shang" and then looked Bao in the eye and said, "Yes".

Bao smiled, "Remember what you have just promised to me, my little bride to be."

* * *

The Mongolian army was making good time, until they reached a large fast flowing river. Mulan had been riding with her head down, trying to hold back her tears and just about fell when Khan came to a stop behind Bao's stallion. She looked up and realized the problem. The ferry to cross had been sunk and the remains were tied on the other side or the fairly wide river. Not to mention someone had slashed the ropes across.

Bao swore violently under his breath. "Ashlan, go to the left, Vale go to the right, take parties with you and report back when you find away across.

"We are going to wait?" she asked. Bao turned his horse towards her. "Yes, there are few ways across this river and I do not want to move the whole army in the wrong direction. This will offer the men a few days respite anyway."

"What about the Chinese army?" asked Shan.

"I doubt they will catch us even if we do wait a day or two." Bao said. He turned to his soldiers "Make camp!"

Shan doubted that he was factoring in the fact that he had the general's fiancée (if she could be called that anymore) captive.

* * *

Shang was pushing the men relentlessly. The men's complaints fell on deaf ears as Yao, Cail, Ling and Chien-Po were anxious to find Mulan as well.

They had made near double time for two days. They had found Shan's black mare Jia earlier on tied in some bushes; something that had worried Cail.

"I thought you would be happy that we found his horse" Shang said turning to him.

"Jia is like Khan, you saw how distressed she was. That wasn't because she hadn't eaten for a while but rather because she doesn't know where Shan is. This means that he could be a prisoner or dead."

Shang grimaced, not so much over worry for Shan, but for the worry it would cause Cail.

* * *

"What are they doing?" Mulan asked Bao. She was sitting behind him on his horse as he surveyed the camp.

"They are making a fire wall."

"A fire wall?"

The men were bundling grass and laying it in a long line that encircled the camp with a 100 yard buffer. They had been working at it since dawn.

"If you light fire to one end the whole line will go up in flames. The grass is as dry as kindling and we have sprinkled some stolen gun powder on it. It will give us time to move if the Chinese catch up."

"I thought you said they weren't going to catch up."

"I still believe that someone who cares about you is the Chinese army. If you were stolen I would not waste time in getting you back and I doubt he would either." Mulan wanted to put her head in her hands but instead grasped Bao's waist as he booted his stallion into a gallop.

* * *

The Chinese army had come upon the river and were traveling alongside it until they had come around a corner face to face with about 100 Mongolians. Shang and Cail had led the men in a quick charge that had quickly dealt with Vale and his scouting party. However one man on a quick pony had the presence of mind to turn and bolt back to the Mongolian camp at the site of the large Chinese army.

* * *

Bao was lounging around the fire with some of his cronies, thinking about recent events and his impending marriage. How had this slip of a girl defeated his cousin? She was naïve, gentle, not at all what he had expected. She was beautiful, in a unique way yet wildly inexperienced in terms of anything to do with men. Someone more experienced would have tried to seduce him for their freedom.

"The Chinese! They are coming! The Chinese!"

Bao shot up at the cries filling the camp. He grabbed his sword and started to yell orders. "Prepare to move out! Arm yourselves!" Dash it, Mulan and Shan were somewhere down the river in the opposite direction from the approaching Chinese.

* * *

Shang was the first to catch sight of the Mongolians hastily packing their tents and dispatching with their camp. He yelled for the Chinese to charge.

Bao saw the Chinese coming, "Don't light the wall yet! Wait until half of them are over the line!"

* * *

Shang saw Bao mount his war stallion. He signaled to Cail that Bao was his target and spurred his stallion onwards. Cail started to signaling the army to divide into waves that would surround the Mongolians.

Shang and one hundred men had lept the bound grass when the Mongolian soldier got nervous and hastily lit the wall.

Mulan and Shan were riding Khan back to the Mongolian camp from farther down the stream. Mulan thought it was some sort of irony that Shan was responsible for protecting her now when she bathed. She worried at first that he would peek or possibly do worse, but instead he seemed to spend the time trying to make friends with Khan. She was impressed by his horsemanship and he did seem to be getting somewhere with her protective horse. Khan would let Shan ride him now if they were riding double.

Suddenly Khan stopped and started to frantically sniff the wind. He danced and tried to turn around but Shan deftly reined him in.

"What is it?" she asked.

"Fire, I think Shang has found us."

He pushed Khan into a full-out gallop and they reached the camp in a matter of minutes.

* * *

Cail saw the man bending with the torch and threw his arm up to bring the thundering army to a rapid halt. He had been a soldier long enough to recognize the potential fire wall. Only Shang and 100 soldiers had missed his signal but luckily they were far ahead.

* * *

Shang felt rather then saw the effects of the wall. The gun powder sprinkled throught the grass caused a rocking explosion that threw his horse stumbling forward. Shang was nearly thrown from his horse stumbling forward but managed to stay on. He turned and saw the 100 soldier that had managed to cross the line. Some were still mounted and some not.

* * *

Bao saw Khan come galloping in with Shan and Mulan. "Shan, follow the river back the way you came, take her with you and make sure she stays safe. We will follow soon. Take separate horses so that Khan doesn't tire as quickly."

Shan quickly leaped from Khan's saddle into the saddle of a stolen Imperial stallion. There were a few of them amongst the Mongolian army, though he would greatly have preferred Jia.

He turned to gesture to Mulan but she was staring towards the wall of fire that blocked the view of the south and the west. He saw then what she who she was looking at.

* * *

Mulan saw Shang and could not bring her self to urge Khan forward. He thankfully had not been injured in the blasts from the gun powder. He was facing Bao who was approaching him on his stallion. Shang looked away from Bao for a brief moment and caught sight of Mulan. Their eyes met and Mulan felt herself turning Khan towards him.

The moment was ended abruptly when Shan grabbed Khan's bridle and turned him the opposite way while spurring his horse on. He let go of Khan's bridle and yelled. "Remember what you promised Mulan!" She took one more glance back before sending Khan after Shan.

* * *

Shang was stunned. He had seen Mulan and relief and gone through him like the feeling of warm water being poured over his head. But Shan had grabbed Khan and yelled something, something that had caused Mulan to follow him into the forest along the banks of the river. He couldn't understand it.

Bao rode up to him. "I would suggest you and your men wait for the fire to die down so you can reunite with your army. I do not want to kill you as soon I think that will be looked on as a serious crime...even if it isn't one right now." With that Bao turned his stallion and signalled his army to follow him towards the forest.


	16. Chapter 16: Over Before It Began

Yay! I updated! Now if everyone would do the same (hint hint).

* * *

Shan and Mulan galloped for what felt like hours. Everytime Shan tried to slow down and come to a stop Mulan pointedly pushed Khan faster. They played this game several times before Shan finally decided to wait until she stopped.

They were following the river looking for a way across. Mulan finally reined Khan in to a walk and turned him toward the stream so he could drink. Shan gently chided "You had best wait until he cools down some, otherwise he will colic." Mulan looked back at him, eyes red, and pulled Khan back with reluctance. Shan knew it was the love she had for her horse that pulled him back, thirsty as he was. She would not willingly harm him or allow harm to come to him.

It struck him that so many of her ideals led her to a role of protector and guardian. Her lack of brother or other siblings had led her to become independent and yet fiercely loyal to her family as she was the sole child. An orphan, provided for but not closely loved, he had become independent. He had had no one to be fiercely loyal to, until he was appointed her bodyguard.

He rode up beside her as she continued on Khan at a walk.

"I'm sorry," he said.

"For what?" she mumbled.

"I pulled you away. I know you wanted to go to him Mulan, but that would have put both your lives in jeopardy. Bao might have already realized as it is." She looked up into his eyes before turning away. Even that brief moment showed the inner conflict she faced.

"Shang will be so confused," she whispered. Shan pondered, she had to start putting Shang behind her.

"Have you thought about what you will do as queen?" Mulan looked up at him sharply.

"I can still barely get over the fact that I might never see my parents again. That what Shang and I had is over before it began. Now I'm to be queen of a nation! Albeit one that is not united..." She looked over at Shan. "I guess I will do my best to make sure all the citizens are well looked after, definitely improve Chinese-Mongolian relations…" she laughed dryly.

Mulan sat quietly for a moment, her lip beginning to tremble. Shan rode up beside her and hugged her to his chest as she began to cry for what she was about to leave behind, and for the challenges of what she was about to begin. He pulled her onto his saddle, took Khan's reins and started the two horses walking alongside the river.

* * *

Shang, Cail, Yao, Ling and Chien-Po were all in Shang's tent that evening pouring over maps of the terrain. Shang was brooding and the other four men were treading carefully. All of them were thinking, but not voicing, definitely not voicing their thoughts that this was why women were not allowed in the army.

Cail pointed to an area on the map. "This is where Bao's fortress lies. There are not many buildings in Mongolia like it, but it is a large stone building, nearly impossible to penetrate."

"Why did she follow him?" Shang spoke seemingly to himself.

"Look Shang, it sounded like she was on one side of Bao's army and you were on the other with fire at your back, I think even if she wanted to, it wasn't the best time for a reunion." grunted Yao.

"But it is so unlike her to just…run away."

"Maybe she fell in love with Shan" Ling said. He was lucky that he was on the other side of the tent and that Chien-Po was beside Shang so he could restrain him.

"Settle down Shang, of course she hasn't fallen in love with him. She is very loyal and would not just go to another man." Cail said. "You are lucky that Shan is there with her, he is probably a large part of what has kept her safe and unharmed to this point."

Shang glowered at him, "I'm going after her." Cail rolled his eyes "Shang you know you can't."

"I can and I will. I'm leaving tonight and will ride alone. I'll retrieve her and we will be back in a couple of days."

Cail looked at him, meeting him eye to eye. "Just know that if you don't think you will be able to retrieve her you will not make a foolish attempt and get yourself killed. This is not an all or nothing situation."

"I will bring her back."

* * *

Bao was sitting in his tent with Mulan across from him. They were eating their dinner and Bao was teaching her about Mongolia. He had a map of the nation and was pointing out the different areas, teaching her the names and what the regions were best known for. He also told her about the customs and traditions and was teaching her the language.

"So here is where the best grazing lands are found. Many of the nomadic tribes take their herds there at least once a year, usually just before the babies are born."

"The foals of the ponies?" She asked in clumsy Mongolian.

He smiled to himself; it had been obvious from the beginning that she was a horse woman. "Yes, even the ponies' foals are born there along with calves and other animals. However, that is enough for one evening. I have to check the men; and you must get some sleep."

They had agreed that Mulan would continue to share a tent with Shan so that he could protect her. Mulan would not share quarters with Bao until they were married.

She was rising to leave when Bao spun towards her. "The general that ended up on our side of the fire wall...do you know him?"

Mulan's heart skipped a couple beats. "He was my commanding officer...The chinese soldiers know him the same as your soldiers know you."

"But you don't know him...better?"

"He was my captain on my first...campaign. I suppose I've known him longer than some of the other soldiers." She hoped she was a convincing liar.

"The way he was looking at you..."

"He may have thought I was dead as I didn't return from spying. Being the only woman I'm sure I would stick out in his memory." Internally she though he must have been shocked to see his fiance, risen from the dead and running away from him.

"But, then there was the way you were looking at him."

"Bao, regardless of how good my reasons are for being here" she gestured at her surroundings, "a part of me still feels like a renegade. I always reported directly to Sha-.. General Li" she recovered, "and so I felt guilty when I saw him."

"Alright...while sleep well, my queen."

Mulan made small smile before quickly ducking out of the tent. She had become a better liar since trying to convince Shang that her name was Ping.

* * *

Shan came up beside her like a shadow as she left the tent. "What did you learn tonight?"

"More geography, more customs, that in my bad Mongolian I told the cook he had the hands of a pig yesterday, oh and that Bao suspects that Shang is more to me than my commanding officer!"

"While he was." Shan replied. Mulan turned around and sucker punched him in the stomach. He grunted, "Mulan you must accept that things are different now. Put the past behind you, or you will jeopardize this arrangement."

"You are right Shan. I'm sorry I punched you."

"You...you're apologizing...to me?" he said in mock surprise.

She sucker punched him again.

* * *

Later she found herself lying against a log, warmed by the fire and looking up at the stars. It was one of the rare times that Shan was not there, more than likely he had gone off to bathe or to fetch something. She was amazed at how accustomed she had become to his presence, and how aware she was when he was not there.

She leaned back and started to concentrate on the constellations. She could remember her father and her sneaking up on the roof of their home when she was younger and before he had been wounded. They would sit up there for hours as he told her stories. An involuntary tear came to her eye.

She was snapped out of her reverie by a rustling in the bush that encircled her small fire. She was not about to forget how vulnerable she was in a large camp of men and she wished that Shan would hurry back from whatever he was doing.

She managed to locate the direction of whomever or whatever it was and felt for the dagger that Bao had given her. She did not really want to use it, but was prepared if she had to. Shit, she thought, where was Shan?

Suddenly a figure emerged from the underbrush. She could see by the light of the fire that he was tall, broad-shouldered and wearing the furs of the Huns.

She rose to her feet in a fluid motion and gracefully took a warrior's stance. "Identify yourself!" she said quietly but firmly. As the future queen (and it seemed more significantly Bao's future wife) she had authority over all the soldiers.

The figure made a hushing gesture before retracting the hood.

* * *

Hehehe...cliffhanger. Please review!


	17. Chapter 17: Midnight Occurences

* * *

The figure withdrew his hood and Mulan gasped in sudden recognition.

Shang smiled at her, a smile of relief, before he came forward and picked her up and spun her in his arms. She looked down into his gaze, overcome with happiness and they met in a passionate kiss.

When they came up for air Mulan hugged Shang, so happy to be near him once more. After a moment he set her down.

"Come, let's go." He said. Mulan hesitated for a second before putting her hand in his. She felt awful that she was leaving Shan behind. He wasn't bad, and she knew that Bao would take out the brunt of his rage at her disappearance on him. She only prayed that Shan would abandon the camp as she was, when he realized she was gone. She also hoped that he would look after Khan. She took one last look behind herself, and then followed Shang into the surrounding forest.

* * *

Bao tossed and turned. He just couldn't get comfortable. He decided that he would find Mulan. Maybe they could talk or continue to work on her Mongolian. All he knew was that he was not going to fall back asleep anytime soon. Bao got up, and pulling on some pants, left his tent to go find her.

* * *

Shan was heading back from the lake. He approached the clearing and the fire, wondering if Mulan had fallen asleep in his absence.

As Shan got closer he noticed that the fire had gotten smaller. In fact, as he stepped into the clearing, the fire was almost completely out.

"Mulan? Mulan you know you should keep the fire going…" He turned this way and that. She wasn't near the fire. "Mulan, make some noise if you are here, anything, come on…". Shan was worried now. Where the hell had she gone? Shan decided that he should check the rest of the camp quickly, otherwise, he was in big trouble.

* * *

Mulan clung to Shang's waist as he pressed his white stallion through the forest. He suddenly slowed down.

"We are far enough away now that we can rest for a while. My stallion needs a break."

When they got to a wide stream, Shang dismounted and helped her down.

"If we follow this stream to the left, it goes to a beautiful lake. I know, my horse and I almost fell in it." Shang laughed.

"Will you show it to me?" Mulan asked him. He looked back at her in slight surprise, but willingly obliged her and started off to the left.

Before very long they came upon a lake, illuminated by the full moon. "It is beautiful," Mulan said, "Want to go for a midnight swim?". Shang's surprise showed on his face, but he willingly tied his stallion up.

Mulan had been thinking over the past couple of days, and she knew that she wanted Shang to be her first. She knew that Bao would come hunting for her and that she had to take her chance.

She approached Shang and wrapping her arms around his neck kissed him. She then took off her jacket, as he did his. She reached for his shirt and pulled it over his head.

In the moonlight he looked like a god, with muscular and sculpted chest. He reached down and took the bottom of her shirt as kissed her once more.

When all their clothing and been dealt with, he lifted her like a bride and carried her to the water.

* * *

Shan had bumped right into Bao as he went to look for Mulan in the rest of the camp.

"Shan, where is Mulan, I wish to speak to her." Stated Bao.

"She said she went for a midnight snack, I'm just checking to see if got some for me," A strong hand on his chest stopped him in his tracks.

"I asked where she was Shan," Bao said, eerily quiet.

"Please give me until tomorrow morning," Shan breathed.

"If I do not see the both of you by first sunlight, no one will ever see you again."

Shan quickly went and saddled Khan.

* * *

Mulan was asleep on the bank of the lake, nestled in Shang's embrace. Her eyes fluttered open. It was still dark.

She looked over at Shang's sleeping form. She did not know exactly what she had expected, but it had been wonderful.

She gently slid out of his embrace and rose, picking up the remaining pieces of her clothing and donning them.

She had made a vow to Bao, and so she must return.

* * *

Khan suddenly whinnied in the dark night. Shan looked around, hoping that Shan had found the scent of his small woman master.

A figure emerged from the undergrowth, slight in the moonlight, with damp hair.

"It's okay Khan, it's me." Mulan stroked the large horse's nose and looked up at Shan on his back.

"Where have you been? Bao has given me until morning to bring you back. Why did you leave?" Shan whispered in the dark.

"I…I…" The flashbac

* * *

ks in Mulan's mind were vivid of what had happened only an hour ago in the moonlit lake. "I….I am returning. I gave my word and I intend to keep it."

Shan could see the tears in her eyes shimmering in the moonlight.

* * *

They rode double back, and were standing outside Bao's tent as morning's first light began to illuminate the camp.

Bao emerged, and looked them both up and down in a glance. "So, you decided to go for a midnight stroll Mulan?" Bao asked in a quiet voice. .

"Yes, but Shan retrieved me at your request." She looked up to meet him eye to eye. She did not expect to see the raw emotion on his face. A look of anger, disproval, and…intrigue. She was worried about what he would do next and she knew that Shan's heart was racing along with hers. It would be an understatement to say she had taken a huge risk last night.

Bao continued to look at them. "You two are to do everything together now. If I ever see one of you without the other, punishment will be harsh and swift. This arrangement will last until our marriage," he said with a final glance at Mulan. With that he strode off to rally his soldiers for the day's travel.

Mulan and Shan both looked at each other with relief.

* * *

Shang woke up the next morning. As he opened his eyes he looked for Mulan, not finding her. He quickly rolled over to check his other side, and then realized she was gone completely.

**Let me know what you think.**


	18. Chapter 18: Follow the directions

I'm posting here for the sake of people on the Alert list (there are quite a few) and for other people who may eventually stumble here, that the final chapters of 'Over the Great Wall' are embedded in another story I've published in the Mulan archive called 'Themes'. You can click on it by going through my profile page or by digging through the archive.

Happy reading! Please don't forget to review!

P.S. When I have less homework I will actually knit the whole story together and go back and fix my copious youthful grammar errors. I just didn't want you to have to wait that long :)


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